Fall of the Dragon Rider
by QueenAurora
Summary: Barely settled into their new lives, a dangerous new enemy threatens to destroy everything they've fought for, and everyone they love. Sequel to Return of the Dragon Rider. Strong language and violence in later chapters
1. Glimpses from the Past

**Fall of the Dragon Rider**

 **Chapter 1. Glimpses of the Past**

"Drago! Where are you son! Its time to go home!"

The deep voice of his father made the boy look up. He had been poking an anthill with a stick for most of the day, watching the ants scramble to repair the damage to their home. The twelve-year-old would never admit it, but he was a bully. He was one of the oldest kids in the small village, and in his age group he was the tallest and the strongest. He often used that to his advantage, when he wanted something he just took it, using brute force, and when he got into fights with the other kids, he always one. But he also had a skill that was far more dangerous than strength. He was smart. He knew hot to plot against enemies, how to set traps that would surely kill them. He considered himself among the smartest in the village, and that made him arrogant, mean and rude. But he loved and respected his parents, and he was never rude to them.

So when he heard the voice of his father calling out to him, he dropped the stick, stood up and wiped the sand of his knees. He squashed some stray ants on his arm and ran back over the grassy hill, towards the edge of the village, where his father was waiting. His father was a big man, strong, the chief of the village. He had wild black hair and a ragged beard, and it was clear that the boy was already starting to look like the man.

"There you are!" the man bellowed, "I was beginning to think you were carried off by a dragon!"

"I can take a dragon," the boy scoffed, "they don't scare me!"

"And they shouldn't," the man said with an approving nod, "dragons are vile creatures. Dumb beasts. They are not to be feared, but hunted and killed. Me and my father, we have cleared this land of dragons. I expect you to keep it that way when you are chief."

"When I am chief," Drago said, "I will kill them and wear their skin as a cloak!"

"That is a very good idea," the man answered, "but after dinner. Or your mom will be very angry. And we both know that she can be scarier than a dragon when she's angry..."

Drago smiled and ran up the steps that led to their house. Like in any other village, the chief's house was build on a hill, so that he could oversee the entire village from his doorstep. The sun was setting already as the man closed the door behind him and his son. The village was quiet, no one was outside. It promised to be a peaceful night.

0-0-0-0-0

A scream broke through the air, followed by a roar. Then flames sprayed the quiet town, flooding the streets with an orange glow. The peaceful night had turned to a nightmare not long after dark, when the dragons had come. Now, the village was on fire, flames leaping from house to house, burning everything in their path. The people were running through the streets, carrying buckets, trying to kill the flames as well as the beasts that spewed them. Several houses had already turned to ashes, some of their inhabitants with them, completely taken by surprise and unable to escape as the halls went up in flames.

Among the chaos between the burning buildings, a young boy had been separated from his father. All his tough talk was now just that, talk. He had been hearing stories of dragons his whole life, but now that they were here, it was different. He had lost all his courage. He was scared, defenseless, and he couldn't find his father. All around him the world had been turned upside down and set ablaze. He was pushed aside by the people trying to save their homes. No one had time for the village bully, even if that bully was just another frightened child.

"Dad!" he screamed, pushing away from a building that was no more than a wall clinging on to hope, "Dad!"

"Get out of my way!" someone snarled and he was pushed down again.

Before he was able to get up again, the building next to him, the weapons storehouse, was hit by a bright fireball that sent splinters flying high into the sky. He screamed and covered his head with his arms, feeling the splinters and molten drops of metal rain down on him. The fire bit into his skin, eating away his clothes until someone dropped a bucket of ice cold water on him. As he looked up, he was hauled to his feet, and a sword was shoved in his hands.

"Fight son!" his father yelled at him, "now is the time to prove your worth!"

He looked at his father, his face streaked with blood and dirt, his black beard even messier than usual. Then he looked at the sword in his hands, and it was like his courage came back to him. He gripped the handle tighter and looked up again. He nodded, setting his jaw, and charged after his father.

He managed to kill a stocky, brown dragon that attacked him from the side, and by then he had lost sight of his father again. He looked around, but the man was nowhere to be seen. He ran through the streets, trying to avoid the dragons as much as he could, but he had a few close calls, where he barely managed to kill the beasts. More and more houses went up in flames, the fire now all over the town. With tears in his eyes he watched his own house go up in flames, the fire hungry burning through the wood. As the roof collapsed, his home as he knew it forever gone, he gripped the sword so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

With a scream he ran towards the closest dragon and killed it without a problem. He let his anger fuel his actions now, and ran through the streets looking for the next beast to kill. Instead, he found his father, laying motionless in a growing pool of blood. He froze, all his anger leaving him at once, as he stared at his father's dead eyes. The sword slipped from his now limp fingers as he fell to his knees at his father's side.

"Dad..." he whispered, "wake up..."

But he knew that his father would never wake up again. He knew that he was dead. All around him was death. The screams of the villagers were fading, but not because they were winning. The roars of the dragons were still as loud as before, and the fire was still flaming high into the sky. He stood up, shaking, stumbling though the streets. As he walked through the village, seeing the dead bodies on the ground, he felt how the anger returned. These beasts, these monsters, they had destroyed his home! And he would make them pay! He would make good on his promise! He would wear their skin as his cloak, he would avenge his father!

He grabbed a sword from the nearest man he saw and lashed out at the nearest dragon. He didn't kill it, but he severed its left front paw. The beast howled and spread its wings, retreating from the threat. It didn't get very far, and it crashed into a burning house not far away. He ran over, his sword ready, but he never made it to the dragon. Another one came in from behind and grabbed him, its claws closing around his arm. He screamed as he was lifted into the air, and the sword fell from his hand as he clawed at the dragon that held him in an iron grip. But the sharp talons didn't budge, and he had to watch how his home grew smaller and smaller, the light from the flames a bright orange spot in the dark of the night.

At first, he didn't feel the pain, but the longer the dragon flew, the more it started to hurt. He couldn't see how his arm was twisted in the dragon's tight grasp, because his cheek was pressed against the scaly leg of the beast. The sun was already rising when the dragon finally landed, not letting go of the boy's arm. By that time he was exhausted, lightheaded from pain and blood loss, and too weak to fight. Another dragon landed close by and snapped at the boy, angering the first dragon and it wasn't long before they were fighting, their prey forgotten. Mustering all his strength he was able to crawl away from the fighting beasts. After a while he managed to stand up, his left arm useless at his side. He stumbled blindly, not knowing where he was or where he was going, but he didn't get far. He collapsed again, losing consciousness. He didn't hear the cart coming, and he didn't see how the driver gasped at the sight of him. He didn't feel how he was lifted off the ground and onto the cart, and he didn't feel how he was taken to a small village on a hill. He would know a few weeks later, when he woke up in a bed, his wounds cleaned and bandaged, but his arm gone.

0-0-0-0-0

He was having a bad day. When he had woken up, frost had covered the ship inside and out, and he had discovered he had left one of the small windows open during the night when he stepped onto the iced over floor. He was cold and hungry and felt the overwhelming need to beat someone.

On top of that his arm hurt. It didn't just hurt, but it burned. The severed muscle and frayed nerves felt like they were on fire, and the lightest of touches send a hot pain through his shoulder. That meant he couldn't wear the metal prosthetic he always wore.

And if that wasn't bad enough, one of his dragon hunters had returned empty handed. He hated failures. He hated useless hunters. And now that one had come back without dragons, he had to get out of the room to deal with it, and that was the last thing he wanted to do.

So, to be completely honest, it wasn't all the hunter's fault that he endured all the wrath of a bad day.

"You FAILED!" he growled, pointing the sharp end of his bullhook at the trembling hunter, "you let them ESCAPE!"

"You have to listen to me!" the hunter said, "please..."

"I don't have to anything!" he snarled, his scarred face twisting with rage, "you let them escape!"

"They didn't escape!" the hunter practically screamed, "the riders, they came for them!"

At this, he froze. He turned to the man on the deck, his face void of al emotions. It was probably scarier than blind rage.

"Riders?" he asked, his voice too calm to be real.

"Yes!" the man yelled, "we had found two Night Furies..."

"Night Furies?" the man asked, some of his anger shining through again, "you found... Night Furies? And you let them escape!?"

"We didn't know they had riders!" the man whines desperately, "they came for them. We didn't know they would come for them! They took us by surprise, an ambush! They let all the dragons go, and then flew off on the Night Furies!"

"I don't believe you..." he whispered as he leaned down to the terrified man, "you're lying to protect your own skin."

"I swear I'm not lying!" the man said pleadingly, "we had two Night Furies, I swear. But their riders came for them. And the white one..." He stopped abruptly when the point of the bull hook pressed into his throat.

"Did you say... white one?"

He nodded nervously. "Y...yes..." he stuttered, "a white, female Night Fury. I swear we had them, I swear..."

"And you let them ESCAPE!?" the man thundered, "you FOOL! Get him out of my sight!"

He turned away from the man as he was hauled up by a few of his guards, but then turned back.

"Wait..." he said, "his voice suddenly as cold as the air surrounding them, "I'm not done..."

The hunter in front of swallowed hard, the fear clearly in his eyes.

"You will get me those Night Furies..." he said, stepping closer, his whole posture dark and threatening, "and to make sure that you will..."

He gestured to the men holding the hunter. They forced the man down on his knees, his hands twisted behind his back.

"Please... don't..." the man pleading, "Drago..."

"You will bring me those Night Furies," Drago repeated, trading in his bull hook for a branding iron, "and this is to make sure that you will."

He pressed the hot iron on the man's chest. He had to ignore the scream and the smell of burning flesh, pushing back bad memories that he didn't want to think of, and after a few seconds, he pulled away. His soldiers let the hunter go and the man scrambled backwards, staring at his chest in shock.

"Next time," Drago said and he tossed the iron aside, "it will be your head. Bring me those Night Furies, or die. Get him off my ship."

0-0-0-0-0

"Eret! What happened!?"

The moment he had set foot on his ship he had been surrounded by his man, worrying about his wellbeing. He had his hand clutched over the wound on his chest, the pain still hot in his skin.

"We have to find those Night Furies," he said through clenched teeth, "or we're all dead."

"How do we do that?" someone on his right asked.

"I don't know!" he growled, batting a hand away from his chest, "go to where we last saw them and don't touch me!"

He looked around. His crew was staring at him like he had grown wings himself.

"Well!?" he yelled, "the ship isn't going to sail itself! Get on with it!"

The men scrambled to get to their places and to get the ship moving. Eret himself didn't move, he just stayed where he had sat down, staring at the horizon.

"I'll get you," he mumbled, "and I'll make you pay. Mark my words you bastards, mark my words."

* * *

 _Okay, so let me explain a few things. First of all, I think we don't know enough about Drago and how he became the man he is. I do think he's always been somewhat of a bully, like Snotlout, but then things happened that turned him into a massive hater of dragons and a control freak and the creep we know, so I unleashed my imagination, and came up with something._

 _Second, I have a headcanon that Eret captured Snowflake and Toothless one day, but that Hiccup and Wrenlou were able to free them, with all the dragons on Eret's ship. Eret had to go back to Drago empty handed, and Drago being Drago gave him a nice brand to make sure he would bring the N_ _ight Furies next time. Although I haven't written that story yet, I'm sure that one day I will. So, spoilers for a story that isn't written yet!_

 _So there you have it! My take on how people became who they are and what they are! Next chapter will have Hiccup and Wrenlou and all the others in it, I promise!_

 _Love you all!_


	2. Snow Day

**Chapter 2. Snow Day**

He shivered the moment his feet hit the floor. He was still getting used to the cold, but today the cold seemed to be much worse, like it had somehow seeped into every crack of the house. He flexed his arm, grimacing at the pain. It had gotten worse the past few days. The muscles felt like they were on fire every time he tried to stretch his arm. He glanced at the brace Hiccup had made for him. It was suppose to help, but lately it had seemed like wearing the thing had made the pain worse. Deciding against using it, he quickly got dressed, still not quite used to the many layers he had to wear in Berk's cold climate. When he finally finished he looked around the room, his gaze falling upon the curled up form of Snowflake.

"Come on girl," he said while he walked over to the dragon, "time to get up."

Snowflake groaned and opened an eye. She looked at him, then turned her head away and buried it under her wing. Wrenlou sighed and ducked under it as well, rubbing the dragon's nose.

"Wake up," he said, gently pulling her ears, "it's daybreak."

The dragon looked at him and groaned again. She licked him, then uncurled. She yawned as she stretched wings, then stood up and stretched her paws. She yawned again and looked at Wrenlou, who smiled back.

"Morning sunshine," he said cheerfully, "I'm sure breakfast has been served downstairs."

He was hardly able to finish the sentence. At the mention of breakfast Snowflake shot past him and down the stairs, searching for the food. Wrenlou smiled and turned to follow, but he stopped the moment his eye fell on the window. It was hard to see through the foggy glass but the outside world looked different. It took him some time to realize what the reason was.

"Snow..." he whispered, "it's snowing..."

A wide smile spread across his face. He hadn't been on Berk for very long, only a few months, and he had been waiting for the snow to come. He had heard stories from Hiccup, but seeing it was something else entirely. In one night all of Berk had been covered by a thick, white blanket, changing everything he saw. The village as he had come to know it was gone. He stared out of the window for a while, then he turned and ran downstairs.

"Morning Hiccup!" he yelled as he ran past his brother.

"Morning... to you... too..." Hiccup said frowning, "everything alright? Did something happen?"

Wrenlou yanked the door open and stopped, staring at the snow. It was still snowing, fat, lazy flakes that danced down and joined the blanket on the ground. The sunrise painted not only the sky, but the snow at his feet as well, and Berk was bathing in a soft orange glow. There was no wind at all, and it was very quiet. Most of the people were still asleep, or just waking up. The snow glistened in the pale light of the morning, still undisturbed.

"It's snowing Hiccup," Wrenlou said without turning around, "it's really snowing."

"It's been known to do that in winter," Hiccup said, standing up from his seat at the table.

"It's beautiful," Wrenlou said, still unable to tear his gaze away from the snow in front of him, "there's so much snow..."

"This is nothing yet," Hiccup said as he joined him at the door, "wait until Devastating Winter comes around. Then you'll see what snow means around here."

"Devastating Winter?" Wrenlou asked, finally looking away, "is that when every one gets snowed in?"

Hiccup nodded. "We'll all be in the Great Hall. At least, that's how it used to go," he said, "in the old days those two months were the only two months without dragon raids. Now we'll have dragons with us. Should be fun."

"Does that even fit in the Hall?" Wrenlou asked, "I mean it doesn't seem big enough to fit all of Berk, a bunch of dragons, life stock and gods know what else in there."

"There are caverns behind it," Hiccup explained, "it's where they keep the supplies, like food and water. It will fit, believe me. It's bigger than it looks."

Wrenlou smiled and held out his hand. A few fat snowflakes fell onto his palm, but they melted away the moment they came into contact with his warm skin.

"It's amazing," he said, studying the ones that landed on his sleeve and didn't immediately melt, protected from his body heat by the many layers of clothing he wore.

Hiccup simply nodded. Wrenlou smiled and stepped outside, carefully setting his foot on the snow. The moment he put his weight on it, his boot broke through the brittle top layer and he sank in to his ankle. He smiled and walked a little further, the snow crunching with every step he took.

"You remind me of my younger self," Hiccup said, "when I just got to Dragoncity," he explained when Wrenlou turned around with a confused frown on his face, "and everything was still new. I know I walked around with that look of wonder for weeks. I see that in you know. Excitement, amazement, wonder."

"Gove me a break," Wrenlou mumbled, "I grew up in the tropics, with no snow around for miles and miles."

"I know" Hiccup said, "but this isn't the first time you've seen snow. Remember that one time we went up north? Plenty of snow there. Where we found the arctic dragon?"

"It was a snowstorm," Wrenlou said, "and we didn't see anything for days."

"That is true..." Hiccup mumbled, "now come on inside and eat something. That snow will be there tomorrow. In fact, that snow will be there for... oohh... lets say, the next six months? Maybe longer?"

"Come on!" Wrenlou called out, "you haven't seen snow in a long time either!"

"I know!" Hiccup said, but that doesn't mean I want to starve."

He turned around to go back inside, but before he could a snowball hit his shoulder, clumps of snow flying around his ears. He whipped back around towards Wrenlou, who was already holding another snowball. He sighed and turned away again, but this time the snowball his the doorframe next to him.

"Come on!" Wrenlou yelled, "please?"

Hiccup sighed and looked back. He opened his mouth but before he could say anything, a white blur shot past him and knocked him down into the snow. It was Snowflake, and she dove right into a pile of snow at the side of the house. She jumped right out again, shaking snow from her head. Hiccup was laughing, but before he could even think about getting back to his feet, the white blur was followed by a black one. Toothless dove into the snow like Snowflake had done, with the only difference that he stayed visible, while she was hidden. The two dragons chased each other, almost knocking Hiccup off his feet a second time.

"They win," Wrenlou said laughing, stepping aside as the two dragons ran past him again, "they're much more excited then I am."

"I know," Hiccup said, brushing snow of his clothes, "I didn't know they'd get this crazy."

"Does it mat..." Wrenlou started but before he could finish his sentence Snowflake's tail swiped his feet out from under him, and he fell backwards into the snow.

"No it doesn't," Hiccup said laughing, offering Wrenlou a hand.

Wrenlou took it, ignoring the pain in his shoulder as Hiccup pulled him to his feet again. He brushed the snow of his clothes and shook some clumps out of his hair.

"So," Hiccup said, stepping back and scooping some snow into his hands, "two out of three?"

"You're so on," Wrenlou said and he ducked when Hiccup's snowball flew at his face.

He threw one back, hitting Hiccup's chest where it broke apart. Hiccup stumbled a little, his prosthetic slipping in the snow. He smirked and threw two, one of which hit Wrenlou's knee. The other one missed and smacked against the side of the house, leaving an almost perfectly round mark on the dark wood. Wrenlou threw one back, missing Hiccup by a mile, but before Hiccup could retaliate, Wrenlou turned and ran. He hid behind the well on the plaza, making new snowballs and piling them up in front of him.

"You can't hide forever!" Hiccup yelled, "I will find you!"

"Not if I find you first!" Wrenlou yelled back and he threw two snowballs at once. The first hit Hiccup's shoulder, but the second flew past him, and hit Astrid's face.

Both men froze as soon as they saw her. Astrid spluttered to get the snow out of her mouth, and shook her head to get it out of her hair. She opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something, but then she closed it again, and smirked. She scooped up some snow, made a snowball, and threw it at Hiccup.

"Hey!" he protested, "it wasn't me!"

"Doesn't matter!" Astrid said, "the war is on!"

Hiccup ran for cover as both Astrid and Wrenlou started throwing snowballs at him. He quickly retaliated by sneaking up on her as she was busy bombarding Wrenlou, and putting a handful of snow in her neck. That didn't go unpunished for very long, and Astrid took revenge by throwing snow in his face. Until then Wrenlou had gotten off good, but then Hiccup and Astrid decided to team up against him, and he had to take refuge behind the well again.

The snowballs flew over the plaza now, hitting houses, people and dragons alike. Many of the vikings grumbled and just moved out of the way, but the dragons were having a good time trying to catch the snowballs before they could hit their target. After a while that game got boring, and they left again, leaving them alone again.

Wrenlou took a deep breath and made another snowball. He was hiding behind a stack of wood since the last offensive from Hiccup and Astrid, and now he was waiting for either of them to show their face. His arm was hurting badly now, but he ignored it. He was determined not to give up. Hiccup looked out from his hiding place and Wrenlou reacted, throwing a snowball at his face. It missed Hiccup completely, because the muscles in his shoulder suddenly spasmed, and he had to grab his arm to make them stop. Hiccup had seen it and came out of his hiding place, yelling at Astrid when she threw a snowball at him.

"Everything alright?" Hiccup asked, kneeling in the snow in front of Wrenlou.

"It hurts," Wrenlou said.

"You're not wearing the brace," Hiccup said.

"Doesn't matter," Wrenlou mumbled and he stood up, "it hurts either way."

"It could be because of the cold," Astrid said, joining them, "that can sometimes make it feel worse. I had an uncle," she explained, "and he would complain about his scars hurting every time it got colder. Simple warmth could make it feel a lot better."

"The Hall is warm," Hiccups said, "and they have soup. Or stew. Or whatever else is warm."

"Sounds good," Wrenlou said, "my fingers are really cold as well. And my toes feel like they're frozen. In fact, every part of me feels like it's frozen."

"Come on then," Hiccup said, "lets get you warmed up again."

While they walked towards the Great Hall, they shook the snow out of their hair and from their clothes. Once inside the Hall it wasn't hard to find a spot. Most Vikings had already eaten when they had their snowball war.

"You know what I could use right now?" Wrenlou said, "one of those massages in the bath house."

"Gods yes!" Hiccup agreed, "that would be amazing."

"What are you two talking about?" Astrid asked, and they spent the rest of their meal telling her about the bath house and the massages that were given there.

The rest of the day was uneventful. It stopped snowing around noon, and by then Berk had been covered in a thick white blanket that muffled all sounds. Hiccup was helping Gobber in the forge, and Wrenlou had gone to help Aminda. Despite the was being over, and peace being a fact, the social rules of the Vikings often clashed with those of the dragons, and since most of the Vikings had a really short temper, it often resulted in injuries.

The end of the day found Wrenlou on one of Berk's many bridges, overlooking the ocean below. The sun was setting, again painting the snow with pale hues of orange and red. Snowflake was sitting next to him, her wings slightly spread to catch every last bot of warmth. She had her tail curled around Wrenlou's ankles, her head resting on the side of the bridge. He looked up when footsteps approached, crunching the snow. It was Hiccup, with Toothless in tow. He joined him, and for a while it was silent.

"Do you miss it?" Hiccup asked suddenly, "Dragoncity?"

"Of course I do," Wrenlou said, "mostly the ocean, and the lazy days in the sun. But I also miss the city itself, all my friends..."

"I miss it too," Hiccup said, "the chaos of market day... the everyday hustle of the city... I even miss patrols... never thought I's miss those."

Wrenlou smiled. "I'd be worried if you didn't miss it," he said, "it's been a big part of your life for ten years. A very defining part of your life."

"I know," Hiccup said softly, "I just... never expected to feel at home anywhere."

Silence fell again and Wrenlou turned around, looking at the village. It was already cloaked in black, the sun's last rays finally disappearing from the horizon.

"Want to go on a late flight?" Wrenlou asked suddenly, "it's been a while since we've been able to do that."

Hiccup nodded. "I'd like that," he said, "and I'm sure Toothless would too."

Snowflake stretched her wings and turned a little, so that Wrenlou could get up. Toothless did the same, but Hiccup checked the prosthetic first. It had already frozen shut once, he was going to make sure that never happened again.

"Ready?" he asked.

Wrenlou nodded and Snowflake spread her wings. The gust of wind when she took of send snow flying in every direction. Toothless followed, also stirring up the snow. High in the sky it was even colder, but it didn't really matter. They were flying, and flying was always good. And it had been some time since they had the opportunity to fly together. The snow far below sparkled like a thousand tiny stars, outlining the islands as white splotches in the black sea that surrounded them.

"It's even beautiful from way up here," Wrenlou said smiling.

Hiccup nodded. Silence fell between them. There was nothing more they needed to say.

* * *

 _Hello there peeps!_

 _Sorry for the late update, I had some... issues. They have been fixed ad here it is! Another chapter done!_

 _Hope you enjoyed!_


	3. Big News

_Hello guys!_

 _Bet you didn't expect me to update this fast again, did you? Before you read this chapter, it may be wise to read the last chapter of ROTDR again, you know just to remember things and all that. The first two chapters of this story happened before that one, this is after. So I suppose that last chapter of ROTDR could be chapter 2B from the sequel or something._

 _Anyway, here you go!_

 _Enjoy!_

* * *

 **Chapter 3. Big News**

He awoke slowly, breathing in deeply. He smiled as he turned and went to put an arm around Astrid, but she wasn't there. He frowned, rubbed the sleep from his eyes and sat up. When he looked around the room he still didn't see her, and he slipped his legs over the edge of the bed, blindly feeling for his prosthetic.

"Astrid?" he called out and he stood up as soon as he had fastened it to his leg, "Astrid? Where are you?"

"Downstairs," Astrid answered softly, and Hiccup quickly descended down the stairs.

"Everything alright?" he asked worriedly when he saw her sitting at the table, a bucket next to her and a blanket wrapped around her shoulders.

"Just nauseous again," she said with a faint smile, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you."

"You didn't," Hiccup said as he sat down next to her and gently rubbed her back, "you look pale. Are you sure you're alright?"

Astrid nodded and pulled the blanket tighter. She leaned her head on Hiccup's shoulder and he ran his fingers through her hair.

"Go see Wrenlou later," he said, twirling a blond strand around his finger, "he can help."

"I'm sure it's nothing," Astrid said, "I'll be fine."

"Just go see Wrenlou," Hiccup said, "let him tell you it's nothing, and then I'll believe it too."

"Hiccup..." Astrid started, but he interrupted her.

"I care about you Astrid," he said, rubbing her cheek, "and there's no harm in going to see Wrenlou. It won't take long, and he might be able to help. So please, go see him today."

Astrid sighed. "Alright," she said then, "I'll go see him. Will you stop asking me if I'm fine?"

"It's a deal," Hiccup said with a smile, and before she could say anything else, he kissed her.

0-0-0-0-0-0

Astrid sighed and opened the door. The healer's hut was empty, except for Wrenlou and a young girl. Astrid recognized her, she had burned her arm a few days ago, when one of the dragon's had become so irritated it had done what dragons do. Breathe fire. Wrenlou looked up as soon as he heard the door close, and smiled when he saw her. He continued bandaging the girl's arm, and astrid just stood there, not sure what to do.

"I see you're busy," she said finally, "I can come back later..."

"Nonsense," Wrenlou said, "just sit down, I'll be with you in a moment."

She did so, siting down on the bed closest to her. She looked around, seeing the many jars filled with healing herbs and spices, some so exotic they didn't even grow near Berk. They were either brought there by trader Johann, or from Dragoncity. While she waited she fiddled with her axe a little, plucking on the leather that encased the handle. It was coming loose, she would have to replace it again. It wasn't long before the girl left, her arm in a sling.

"Here's to hoping she'll be more careful next time," Wrenlou said smiling while he walked over to Astrid, "what can I do for you?"

"Well..." she started, but then she interrupted herself, "it's probably nothing. Hiccup made me come, he was worried. You know how he is..."

"So what's the problem?" Wrenlou asked again, pulling a stool closer so he sit down across from her.

"I.. I've been feeling nauseous," she said, "mostly in the morning. I'm sure it's nothing, really."

"Any stomach pains?" Wrenlou asked.

"Sometimes," Astrid nodded, "but they go away pretty quickly."

"Mood swings?" Wrenlou asked, "have you been feeling extra emotional lately? Cry about little things, happy about little things..."

"No," Astrid said, "not at all."

"When did it start?" he asked, leaning his head on his hand.

"Last week... I think..." Astrid said, then she nodded, "yes. Last week. That was the first time."

"And it has been happening every day since it first started?" Wrenlou asked.

Astrid nodded. "So it's nothing right?" she asked, "I can tell Hiccup not to worry? I mean, it's either something I ate, or nothing serious."

Wrenlou laughed a little. "It could be neither of those things," he said, "lay back for me, I need to see your stomach."

"Why?" Astrid asked suspiciously.

"Because I have a hunch," Wrenlou said, "but I want to confirm it before I tell you anything. Go on, lay down. I'm sure Hiccup wouldn't mind if I saw your stomach."

She sighed and set her axe against the bed. Then she undid her belt and laid down, pulling her tunic up just enough to bare her stomach. Wrenlou pressed down on several points, each time asking if it hurt, and each time she shook her head.

"Thanks," he said after a while, "you can get dressed again."

"So do you know now?" she asked, "it's nothing right?"

"Astrid," he started, "I need to ask you some questions. Some very personal questions. Just answer them, okay?"

"Okay..." she said uncertain, "I guess?"

"When is the last time you and Hiccup had sex?" Wrenlou asked, and Astrid's jaw dropped.

"Gods Wrenlou!" she said angrily, "that's none of your business! How do you even know we... oh... Hiccup told you... didn't he."

Wrenlou nodded. "When?"

Astrid sighed and rubbed her face. "Two nights ago," she said, "how is this important?"

"Have you noticed any changes in your breasts lately?" Wrenlou asked, ignoring her question.

"What does..." Astrid started, "what does that have to do with anything!"

"Please," Wrenlou said, "just answer the questions. If I'm right, they have everything do to with it."

"I don't know..." she mumbled, "what kind of changes?"

"Are they sore, tender to the touch, do they seem swollen or bigger..." Wrenlou ticked off on his fingers, "you know them best. Anything that's new or different.

"They have been a little tender," she nodded, "and lately it seems like my chest armour is too tight, and when I take it off, they're really sore."

"Have you been tired a lot?" he asked.

"Yes," she said, "but I thought that was because of all the sex I have with Hiccup."

Wrenlou sighed and raised an eyebrow. Astrid shrugged a little.

"What about cravings," Wrenlou said, "have you been craving certain foods lately? Or are you repulsed by certain foods?"

"No and no," she said, "still eating the same, and don't want it to change."

"Alright," Wrenlou said and he sat up straight, "when is the last time you've had your cycle?"

"You mean my..." Astrid asked, and Wrenlou nodded, "I don't know... two months ago? Is that bad?"

Wrenlou smiled widely and shook his head. He stood up and stretched his back. Astrid was watching him with worried eyes.

"Wrenlou?" she asked, "is it bad? What is it?"

"It's not bad," Wrenlou said, "well, for some people it is, it's a matter of opinion really."

"So what is it," Astrid asked anxious and she got up to follow him, "tell me, please."

Wrenlou turned to her. "With everything you've told me..." he said, "Astrid... you're not sick... you're pregnant. About a month, two maybe."

Her jaw dropped and so did her axe. She didn't notice how the blade imbedded itself in the wooden floor. She was staring at Wrenlou, not quite able to believe what she heard. The world around her was spinning, and she vaguely felt how he took her shoulders and guided her to the bed to sit down.

"A...are you sure...?" she asked shakily, looking up at him.

"I can't be," he said and he sat down next to her, "not entirely. But morning sickness and missed cycles are the best indicators, and you have both. I'm almost a 100 percent certain that you are pregnant."

"S...so..." Astrid said, "I'm really pregnant? There's no illness that can cause all these things?"

"Yes," Wrenlou said, "pregnancy."

"But... what do I do now?" she asked and she stood up and started pacing, "what would Hiccup say... what will Stoick say... gods... the wedding is in a few weeks! Wrenlou, what do I do!"

"First of all, right now you need to relax," Wrenlou said, "stress is very bad for a developing child. Second, you have to tell Hiccup."

"I know..." she said, still pacing, "but what is he going to say! We've never even discussed children yet! We're... we're not even married!"

"Astrid," Wrenlou said softly, "I've known Hiccup for quite some time now, and I know that he'll be thrilled to have kids. It may be earlier then you planned, but that doesn't change anything. You still have seven, eight months to figure everything out. There are plenty of people willing to help, I'm sure."

Astrid nodded a little and finally sat down again. "I just don't know what to do..." she said softly, "I've never had a baby before..."

"I can help you," Wrenlou said, "I have a few books you can read, if you want."

"I'd like that," she said, then she looked at him, "what else? What can I do so this baby will be healthy?"

"So many things," Wrenlou said smiling, "first of all, I want you to come by every week, so I can monitor your health and that of the baby. Second, it's wise if you stop training so hard. You can still train, just less, and you have to be very careful when you do. A well-placed kick in your stomach can cause a bleed that will kill you and the baby."

"And we don't want that," she said.

"Hiccup would be heartbroken," Wrenlou agreed, "so no. For that same reason it's also best if you flew less with Stormfly, or at least stop the crazy stunts."

"Okay," she said, "I'll find someone to fly her for me."

"Good," Wrenlou said and he stood up, "I can give you something for the nausea, that might make you feel better."

"Won't it go away?" Astrid asked, not looking forward to spending the next seven months throwing up every morning.

"It usually does," Wrenlou said, looking over his shoulder, "but for some women it doesn't. And right now I don't know which one will happen for you."

Astrid didn't answer. She was still sitting on the bed, now looking down at her stomach. She gently rubbed it, and smiled. The news was finally sinking in, and she was beginning to grasp what it would mean for both her and Hiccup's future. She was going to be a mother. Hiccup was going to be a dad.

"Here," Wrenlou said and he gave her a vial with a clear liquid, "put a few drops in some water before you go to bed, it should help."

"Thank you..." she mumbled, taking it.

"Are you okay?" Wrenlou asked, crouching down in front of her.

"I'm going to be a mom..." she whispered.

Wrenlou smiled and nodded.

"I'm going to be a mom," she said again, and she looked up, "I'm going to be a mom!"

Before he could do anything, she hugged him tightly, whispering thank yous in his ear. When she finally let go she was smiling so wide she feared her face might tear in two.

"Go tell Hiccup," Wrenlou said, "he deserves to know."

She nodded and walked to the door. She was halfway there before she realized her axe was still lodged in the floor in the middle of the room, and she came back smiling a little.

"Sorry..." she mumbled, looking at th crack in the planks.

"It's fine," Wrenlou said, "now go tell Hiccup!"

"Thank you so much!" she yelled while she hurried out the door.

Once outside, she stopped and took a deep breath, still smiling widely. Tightening her grip on her axe in one hand, and the small vial in the other, she began making her way back to the plaza, and from there the forge, where Hiccup was likely to be. Her heart felt light as a feather, and she was sure she was glowing. Humming, she skipped across the plaza, greeting everyone she encountered with a cheerful "morning!" Most gave her a confused look and a short nod as reply, but she didn't care. Nothing could ruin her day right now.

"Hey Gobber," she said, as casually as she could, "is Hiccup here?"

"Ay las," Gobber answered without looking up, "he's in there."

He gestured to the back room, and just as he said it, Hiccup came out, holding scrolls of paper. He stopped when he saw her, smiling.

"Hey Astrid," he said and he kissed her cheek, "have you been to Wrenlou yet?"

"Yes," she said, "Hiccup..."

"What did he say?" Hiccup asked, not really hearing her.

"Can we talk?" Astrid asked instead of answering, "right now?"

"Wrenlou said can we talk?" Hiccup looked up with a frown.

"No you idiot," Astrid sighed and she grabbed his arm to pull him away from the forge, "we have to talk. Right now. I have big news."

"Big news?" Hiccup asked confused, "Gobber... I'll be... going now..." he added, but they were already outside the forge.

She pulled him away from the plaza, and towards the closest house.

"Astrid, what's going on. You're scaring me," he said, stopping her.

She pulled him behind the house and leaned against the wall. He looked at her, the look on his face both worried and expectant.

"Well?" he asked when she didn't say anything, "what did he say?"

"Hiccup..." she started, "he... I... Look, I know we haven't discussed this yet... but..."

"I don't think I've ever seen you speechless like this," Hiccup said softly while he wrapped his arms around her, "is it something serious?"

"It's huge," Astrid said, "it will change both our lives forever. We'll probably have to postpone the wedding a few months, but I don't think..."

"Wow, wait," Hiccup said, placing a finger on her lips, "postpone the wedding? What for?"

"Hiccup..." she started, and she took a deep breath, "I'm pregnant."


	4. Announcement

_Hey guys, sorry for not updating yesterday, too many things on my mind, writersblock, just to name one. Anyway, here it is now._

 _Enjoy!_

* * *

 **Chapter 4. Announcement**

He stared at her, completely in shock. He didn't say anything, he just stood frozen.

"P...pregnant...?" he choked.

She nodded. "Wrenlou said so. About two months, or so he believes."

"You're... pregnant...?" Hiccup asked again, disbelief still written on his face, "b...but..."

"I know this is a lot to take in," Astrid said, gently rubbing his cheek, "but we can work it out together, and... Hiccup? Hiccup, are you okay?"

"I... don't... feel so good..." Hiccup mumbled and before Astrid could react he had collapsed.

Astrid gasped and dropped to her knees, shaking his shoulder gently. "Hiccup," she urged, "Hiccup, wake up."

Hiccup groaned a little, and she breathed a sigh of relief. She helped him sit up, rubbing his back while he leaned forward, his hair falling over his eyes.

"I think I fainted..." he mumbled, wrapping his arms around his stomach.

"You did," Astrid said with a faint smile, "I think it became too much for a moment. Are you okay now?"

Hiccup nodded and looked up. "You're really pregnant?" he asked.

She nodded. "I am. As far as Wrenlou can determine. But I doubt that he's wrong. I haven't known him for long, but he hasn't been wrong yet."

"Right..." Hiccup mumbled, and he got up, seeking support at the house.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Astrid asked, placing her hand on his cheek, "look at me..."

"You're pregnant..." Hiccup whispered, and before she knew what was going on he had hugged her, his arms tightly around her shoulders, "that's so wonderful..."

She smiled and hugged him back, and they stayed like that for a while. When Hiccup finally pulled away and looked at her, she gasped. She gently brushed his hair away from his forehead, seeing the blood underneath, just above his eyebrow.

"You hit your head..." she said softly, looking around for something he could have hit when he fell, "you didn't feel that?"

"No," Hiccup said with a frown, touching his eyebrow, "not at all."

"Come on," Astrid said and she grabbed his elbow, "lets go see Wrenlou."

"Astrid," he protested, "I don't have time to go see Wrenlou. I have tons of work to do in the forge, and my dad wants me to do some chiefing paper work with him or something. I'm sure it's nothing."

"I'm pregnant Hiccup," Astrid said with a smile, "humor me."

Hiccup sighed. "Why do I have the feeling you're going to be using that to make me do whatever you want the next 8 months?"

"Don't worry," Astrid said, wrapping her arm around Hiccup's shoulder, "I'll try to keep it to a minimum."

"We're going to have to tell my dad," Hiccup groaned, one hand on his head, "and the village. Oh Thor... what will they think of me..."

"I'm sure it will be fine," Astrid said, "really. Don't worry about it too much, okay?"

"How do you expect me to do that!" Hiccup said, "I... you weren't supposed to be pregnant yet! I'm going to be a father... I'm not ready to be a father! What if I suck at it... what if he'll will hate me..."

"He'll never hate you," Astrid said lovingly, "or she... we could have a daughter..."

Hiccup smiled and nodded. They had reached the healers hut and Astrid pushed the door open. This time Wrenlou wasn't busy with a patient, he was mixing some herbs together and looked up when they entered.

"So Hiccup," he said, abandoning his workstation, "congratulations are in order."

"So are stitches." Astrid said and Wrenlou frowned. "He fainted when I told him," Astrid explained, "hit his head."

Wrenlou laughed a little and Hiccup glared at him. Astrid smiled as well, directing her attention to the ground.

"Sit down," Wrenlou said, "I'll take a look at it."

Hiccup sat down on the edge of the bed, and Astrid sat down next to him. Wrenlou brought over a bowl of water and a soft cloth, and quickly washed the blood away.

"It's not deep," he said, "I don't think it needs stitches. You might have a slight headache for the next few days. Have you told your father yet?"

Hiccup shook his head and sighed. "I guess that's the next stop," he said softly, "and then the village... and we have to postpone the wedding... gods there's so many things I have to do, and I haven't even seen Toothless in two days! I'm not ready to be a father..."

"Take a deep breath," Wrenlou said, sitting down on Hiccup's other side, "you'll be a wonderful father, I know it. Besides, you don't have to do it alone... Astrid will be there, I will be there."

"I know that," Hiccup said, "we just... didn't plan for children yet."

"It'll take some adjusting," Astrid said with a nod, "but we can make it work. Are you sure he doesn't need stitches?"

"I can put one in if you want," Wrenlou said with a shrug, "but it's not really necessary."

"Thank you," Hiccup said and he stood up, "we'll be going now."

"Hey!" Astrid protested, "don't I get a say in the matter?"

"Not this time," Hiccup said smiling, "come on, let's go tell my dad he's going to be a granddad soon. Thanks for the help Wren!"

"Anytime," Wrenlou mumbled, and as soon as the door closed, he sighed.

He looked at the table, where the jars of dried leaves and herbs still stood along with the mixture he had been making. Hiccup's words had made him realize he hadn't seen his own dragon in a few days.

"Screw it," he mumbled after a few moments of pondering, "I need a break anyways."

0-0-0-0-0-0

"Dad?" Hiccup said, "do you have a moment?"

"Not now Hiccup," Stoick grumbled, "as you can see I'm really busy. I have a ton of paper work, I have to send a letter to the Berserkers concerning the renewal of the peace treaty, I have to settle a fight, about a sheep of all things, there are some conflicts between dragons that I have no idea how to solve, and then there's the Jorgenson Hall. I still don't know if we should leave it or tear it down... I really don't have time for you right now."

"Dad, it's really important," Hiccup said.

"It will have to wait," Stoick said, not looking up from his papers, "I have time tonight. Probably."

"Dad!" Hiccup said, the urgency now clearly in his voice, "now! Please!"

Finally Stoick looked up, turning away from his papers. "Did someone die?" he asked, "did you break anything?"

"No..." Hiccup said, suddenly unsure of himself, "dad..."

"What happened to your head!" Stoick said while he practically jumped up and rushed over, "did someone hit you?"

"No," Hiccup said while he pulled away, "I... fainted..."

"Are you sick?" Stoick asked, concern seeping into his deep voice, "is that it? Is that what you wanted to discuss?"

Hiccup shook his head and looked down. Then he looked at Astrid. She gave him a reassuring nod and he took a deep breath.

"Dad," he started, "we're... well... she... eh..."

"I'm pregnant," Astrid said, grabbing Hiccup's hand, "that's... what he's trying to say..."

For a moment, Stoick stared at her like she had grown wings and declared herself the queen of dragons. Then he sat down again, looking from Hiccup to Astrid and back.

"You're pregnant...?" he said softly, "really?"

"Yes," Astrid said, "Wrenlou told me this morning."

"That's..." Stoick started, "that's great news!"

"It... you think so?" Hiccup said surprised.

"Of course Hiccup!" Stoick said cheerful, "it's not usually quite so early, most chiefs wait till they are married before they have children, but this is just as great!"

"I... I'm not chief yet..." Hiccup said, "And I don't want to be yet!" he added hastily when he caught Stoick's look, "you're doing a great job, no need to retire just yet..."

"This needs to be celebrated!" Stoick said and he stood up.

He walked towards the cabinet and opened it, pulling out a bottle of mead and some cups. After he had filled the cups, he handed one to Astrid, one to Hiccup and took the other one for himself.

"Here's to the day I never thought I'd see," he said, and he looked at Hiccup, "here's to you both."

"Thanks dad..." Hiccup said with a faint smile, and he looked at Astrid, "here's to hoping we don't screw things up..."

"Come on Hiccup," Astrid said, "what happened to your confidence? When it comes to dragons you always know exactly what to do!"

"Dragons!" Hiccup said, "children are totally different! I thought I would have time to plan for this, that I would have time to get ready before I became a dad. And I thought I would have much more time then eight months!"

"I wasn't ready either," Stoick said, "and when your mother was taken... well, you know that for years I wasn't the best father a young boy could have had."

"You were trying," Hiccup said smiling, "and that's what counts. For years all I could see was what you didn't do. But if I can be half the father you were, it's more than I could have asked for."

Stoick smiled and turned away to fill his cup again. When he turned back his eyes were gleaming a little, but Hiccup choose not to comment on it.

"So," Stoick said, taking a long sip from his cup, "how were you planning on telling the village?"

"Eh..." Hiccup said and he looked down, "I don't know... m...maybe tonight? At dinner? You know... in the Hall?"

"Excellent idea," Stoick said, "and what about the wedding?"

"I..." Hiccup started and he looked at Astrid, "we haven't really made a definitive decision yet."

"I think we should postpone," Astrid said, "until after the baby is born. I really would like to wear my mother's dress, and I won't fit into it with a fat baby belly."

"There will be protest," Stoick said, and he stood up, "you know that some people are against babies being born outside of marriage, even if that is planned. You're lucky the girl's father is dead, Hiccup."

Astrid nearly choked on a sip of mead. "L...lucky?" she coughed, "lucky that my father is dead!?"

"I didn't mean it that was Astrid," Stoick said, placing a gently hand on her shoulder, "but you know how he was. He was against sex before marriage. Fiercely against. And if he had found out that his daughter was pregnant before being married, well, it wouldn't have ended well for the father of the baby."

"You mean he would have killed me...?" Hiccup asked.

"Oh no, not killed," Stoick said almost cheerfully, "he would have castrated you."

Hiccup's jaw dropped and Astrid choked on another sip. "He... oh..." Hiccup said, and he cleared his throat, "that's... em... well..."

"A little extreme..." Astrid added, "but it does sound like something dad would have done... to be honest..."

"Right..." Hiccup mumbled, "that's... not really what I want to think about right now."

"You don't have to," Astrid said softly, and she planted a kiss on his cheek, "think of the baby. Your baby." She turned to Stoick. "I think it's best if we wait a little longer with telling the village. Just until we both have gotten used to the idea of becoming parents."

"That's an excellent idea!" Stoick agreed, "come on Hiccup, don't look so dazed! You're going to be a father!"

Hiccup smiled, the idea finally sinking in. He was going to be a father.


	5. Time to Think

_Hey guys,  
I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for not updating in a while. A few bad things happened in my life, and I'm struggling with them a lot. There's really no one who tells you how to feel when you lose a friend, and there's really no one there to tell you what to do. So I also apologize for this sort of weird chapter. I'm still getting my mind back together again after losing two friends in two weeks, so I hope it's not too bad. It's been hard to write for me lately, but I hope that I'll get back on track real soon. It's just not easy when someone who you thought was a friend leaves you behind._

 _Luckily I also have a friend at my side who I know will never ever leave me, and she's helped me so much these past few weeks. She's the reason I started writing again, because she's completely in love with the story. She's amazing, she's my hero, and she helped me so, so much with everything. I love her to bits, and I can always count on her._

 _Sorry for the saddest rant in the history of fanfiction... and for the slightly weird chapter... and for not updating... and for making you wait so long... and, for those who read it, sorry for putting TAAOFHAW on hold. Sorry for everything, basically._

 _I hope you enjoy this chapter anyway, and I promise I'll update again real soon. Promise. You guys are all amazing, so I also want to thank you all for being faithful to my boys, and reading everything I throw at you. I love you all, you're all special and wonderful people, and I hope you'll stick with me to the end._

 _Enjoy my lovelies!_

 **Chapter 5. Time to Think**

After a while the bottle was empty, but Stoick was still stuck in his happy "I'm going to be a granddad" mood, so he pulled out another one, fully ready to refill the cups again, and get them all drunk. Astrid declined the offer, and so did Hiccup, who stood up and left the house.

"Hiccup!" Astrid called as she ran after him, "where are you going?"

"Don't worry," Hiccup said, "I'm not running off again. I just... I need some time, to think, let it sink in. I'm taking Toothless flying, we haven't done that in a while."

"You'll be back, right?" Astrid asked softly.

"Of course I will be," Hiccup said with a smile, "I just need to clear my head, you know? And Toothless needs to stretch his wings, so I might as well take him flying."

"Be careful," she said and she kissed his cheek, "okay? I want you back in one piece Hiccup Haddock!"

"I'm afraid that will never be possible," Hiccup said with a smirk, "I'm missing part of myself you know."

Astrid sighed and waved him off, turning to go back to the house and get her axe. Hiccup smiled, then turned around himself, looking for Toothless. He found the dragon at the forge, where he had curled up behind the furnace, soaking in the warmth of the fire. Of course he couldn't get away without Gobber seeing him, so before he knew it, he was cornered by the man.

"What did Astrid tell ya?" Gobber asked, "ya look like you saw a ghost."

"It's nothing I can tell you yet," Hiccup said and he tried to slip under Gobber's arm to get away. But although it might have worked when he was younger and a lot smaller, now he was simply too tall to

pull it of.

"Wait a minute," Gobber said, grabbing the collar of his shirt, "where do ya think you're going? There's work in the forge!"

"I'll finish it, I promise," Hiccup said, "right now I have to take Toothless for a flight. We haven't done that in days and he needs his exercise."

He looked at the dragon, hoping that Toothless would back his claim, but the dragon yawned, turned to his other side and continued sleeping.

"I can see that," Gobber said, but he let go of Hiccup's collar, "go on then."

"Thanks Gobber," Hiccup said and he walked over to Toothless and woke the dragon, "I'll tell you all about it when I get back, promise."

Toothless finished stretching and Hiccup climbed in the saddle, clicking his prosthetic in place. Toothless crooned happily and spread his wings, taking off in a gust of sand.

"That's two promises to keep!" Gobber yelled after him.

"Don't worry!" Hiccup yelled back, then they shot into the clouds. It was quiet almost instantly, the only sound the rushing of the wind around them. The sounds of Berk had faded, the world had gone. It was just white around them.

"Can you believe it Toothless?" Hiccup asked as they soared through the air, "Astrid's having a baby. I'm going to be a dad! I'm both scared and excited... I have no idea how to be a father! I'm no good with kids..."

Toothless crooned and ducked below the clouds. The ocean was calm, the water rippling in the gentle breeze. Hiccup sighed deeply and rubbed the dragon's neck.

"You'll help me, won't you bud?" he asked softly, "because I'm sure I'll stink at it... what if she hates me when she grows up? Or he... of course... it could be a boy as well... Gods, I'm scared..."

Toothless crooned again and Hiccup looked up. The dragon looked at him and Hiccup smiled. "You're right," he said, "Astrid's there too. It's her first child as well. We'll figure it out together, I'm sure we will."

Toothless whined softly and Hiccup hugged the dragon. "Of course I won't forget you bud, how could I. I'm going to need your help too. Now come on! Lets have some fun shall we? It's been a while since we did some dangerous and stupid stuff."

Toothless roared and folded his wings at his side. They fell out of the sky, shooting towards the ocean like a canon ball, but at the very last moment Toothless spread his wings and they shot up, the water spraying up behind them.

"Woooohoooo!" Hiccup cheered and he threw his hands in the air, "I love flying!"

They shot back up into the air, somersaulting through the clouds. Hiccup was grinning from ear to ear and for a moment, his worries about becoming a father were forgotten. As they flew over Raven Point Hiccup looked down, seeing the cove where he had first met Toothless far below them.

"Seems so long ago, doesn't it bud?" he asked, "that day I didn't kill you, and you didn't kill me in return? That day changed everything for me. For both of us."

Toothless crooned softly and circled lower, towards the trees.

"So much has changed since then," Hiccup mused softly, "I met Wrenlou... Broghan... I've seen so many things. Dragoncity, the Night Fury Queen... good days and bad days... really bad days..." He frowned as he remembered the Romans. "Horrible days. Yet here we are. Back where we started. Berk has changed, I got everything I wanted. Astrid..." He smiled when he thought of her. "And now a baby on the way. Another change..."

They landed softly in the confines of the cove. Hiccup looked around. It hadn't changed much in all these years. There were a few remains of the time he and Wrenlou had been hiding here, just a year ago.

"Seems like a lifetime since we first met, don't you think bud?" Hiccup asked and he slipped to the ground, "remember how we used to play in the pond? Or the first time we flew... that was amazing."

He looked at the dragon standing next to him. Toothless looked back, his head slightly tilted.

"You'll be kind to my child, won't you?" Hiccup asked.

Toothless crooned and licked his rider's face. Hiccup laughed and pushed him away, washing his face in the water.

"Why do I worry," he said smiling, "you'll be careful, I know you'll be. You were careful with me too, and I was fifteen."

Toothless pounced playfully, then jumped back, his belly low to the ground and his tail swishing through the air. Hiccup laughed and jumped aside when the dragon jumped him, trying to catch his tail as he leapt through the air. He missed, but his fingers brushed past Toothless' tailfin and the dragon turned around with the speed of light.

"Come and get me!" Hiccup said, "come on!"

Toothless growled playfully and pounced, pinning his rider to the ground with a gentle paw. He roared in Hiccup's face, then licked his cheek.

"I love you too bud," Hiccup said, wrestling free from the dragon to wash his face again.

Toothless purred loudly, rubbing his head against Hiccup's side, demanding to be scratched. Hiccup happily obliged, scratching the dragon behind his ears, eliciting more purrs.

"We should go, don't you think?" Hiccup said after a while, "I think it's getting dark."

He was about to climb onto the dragon's back to go home, when something caught his eye. It was a small piece of wood, almost shaped like a little dragon, and he picked it up, studying it from all sides.

"On second thought," he said, finally mounting the dragon, "lets not go back just yet. Lets just fly around a little more, okay bud?"

Toothless crooned and spread his wings, taking off quickly. Hiccup was still studying the wood he held in his hand, seeing it take shape in his mind. He smiled and pulled his knife from his belt, determined to make the piece of wood into something beautiful.

0-0-0-0-0

"Wrenlou? Have you seen Hiccup?" Astrid asked.

"Not since you two left," Wrenlou answered, "why?"

"He took off a few hours ago, with Toothless," Astrid explained, "he said he needed time to think. But it's getting dark and he still isn't back. I'm worried."

"Hiccup is perfectly capable of taking care of himself," Wrenlou said, "you shouldn't worry about him. But if it helps, I'll go look for him," he added when he saw Astrid's face.

"I'll go with you," she said with a smile, and whistled to Stormfly.

"Really, you shouldn't worry," Wrenlou said once they were high in the air, "he wouldn't abandon you. Not now, not ever."

"I know that," Astrid said while she looked around, "and that's not what I'm afraid of. I just don't want him to get hurt, you know? I want this baby to know it's father. And you know Hiccup. He gets in trouble everywhere he goes. You know that, you've been there most of the time."

"That I can't deny," Wrenlou said, "but it looks like he managed to stay save this time."

He pointed to a seastack not far off the cast of Berk. On the top of it a small fire had been lit, and the hunched figure of a man could be seen against the orange glow of the flames. A dark shape was curled around the figure. Toothless was laying behind Hiccup, serving as a backrest. The dragon seemed perfectly content with this task, and was purring loudly, his tail off the edge of the rocks, lazily swaying back and forth. They flew over and landed on the edge, both Hiccup and Toothless looking up.

"Hey babe," Astrid said as she walked over, "what are you doing out here."

"I was on my way back," Hiccup said, "but then I saw the view."

He gestured behind them and they turned around. The seastack offered the perfect view on Berk, it's lights as little specks on the dark rocks.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Hiccup said, "I never saw it like this before. Not even from above. Nothing has changed and yet everything is different. Now it's not just my home, but the place where I'll raise my child."

Astrid sat down next to him. "You're not going to cry, are you?"

Hiccup shook his head and looked down on his lap, where his little wooden project lay.

"What's that?" she asked, pointing to it.

"I found it, in the cove," Hiccup said and he showed it to her, "it's a little dragon, see? For the baby..."

"Oh Hiccup..." Astrid said and she took it from him, "a little toy?"

"Well, yes," Hiccup said, "it's not too small, so he won't choke on it, but it's not so big that he won't be able to hold it."

"He is it?" Astrid asked with a smile, "a few hours ago it was she."

"I just don't want to call... it an it, you know?" Hiccup said, "it feels wrong to do that."

"I know what you mean," Astrid said, and she shivered, "come on, lets go back. It's getting cold out here."

"Okay," Hiccup said and he tucked the wooden dragon into his saddle back, and the knife back into it's sheath.

"I think it's cute," Astrid said, "that little dragon."

"So do I," Wrenlou said, "you'll be a great father Hiccup, really. Besides, you still got seven months to prepare. The world won't end in seven months, so there's nothing to worry about. I'll be there every step of the way, for both of you."

"Thanks Wren, I appreciate it," Hiccup said and they mounted their dragons, "you know, I always thought you'd be the one to have kids first. You were always the charming one. The ladies loved you."

Wrenlou chuckled. "You found true love Hiccup," he said, "you found someone who loves you for everything you are, not just how you act or look. I haven't yet. Not really."

"You will," Hiccup said, "you'll see. And then our kids can play together. We'll teach them to fly, and when they're old enough they'll get their own dragons. They must have dragons of course. But only when they're old enough, and they can get a Terrible Terror first. Those aren't very dangerous."

"I told you he would love it," Wrenlou said to Astrid.

"Yes you did," she said with a smile, "and in seven months, when this baby is born, everything will be prefect. As you said, the world won't end in seven months. What could really go wrong?"


	6. Secret Revealed

_Good evening my dear people. I planned to update a few days ago, but a few things got in the way and I couldn't. But here it is now, the next chapter! Ignore the title, I suck at titles, but they need a title. Did that make sense?_

 _Enjoy!_

* * *

 **Chapter 6. Secret Revealed**

"Nervous?" Astrid asked softly.

Hiccup nodded. "I don't know how they will react," he said as he watched the Great Hall fill up, "Gobber will be angry that we kept this from him for all this time. I mean, we've known for weeks now. Not to mention all the ones that will oppose our decision to postpone the wedding... I mean, what if they want to kick me off of Berk?"

"They won't kick you out," Astrid said, "they'd have to go through me first. If any of them tries to hurt you, I'll kick them into Valhalla!"

"Easy there tiger," Hiccup laughed, "you know what Wrenlou said. Don't stress yourself."

"I'm not," Astrid said, "I'm perfectly calm. Can't you see I'm calm?"

Hiccup laughed a little and kissed her cheek. She grabbed his hand and put it on her stomach, the growing bump under his hand.

"I still can't quite believe it," Hiccup said softly, "do you?"

"I can believe I'm still puking my guts out every morning," Astrid said with a grin, "and that everything feels... sore. My mother always told me that being pregnant is the most wonderful thing in the world, but to be honest, right now I hate it. I can't wait for this baby to be born."

"There will be other things then," Hiccup said with a soft smile, "waking up in the middle of the night because he's hungry, raising him... you know..."

"At least you can help with that," Astrid groaned, "this part is all mine. I already feel huge, imagine what I'm gonna be like in a few months."

"You'll still be beautiful," Hiccup said lovingly, "nothing can change that."

Astrid smiled and looked up as the door of the Great Hall slammed shut. The people were rowdy, talking loudly with each other, and for the first time she seemed to notice just how many children there were running around. There were at least six mothers with babies, that she could see, and about a dozen children varying in age chasing a flock of Terrible Terrors through the Hall. She smiled a little and imagined her own little one running around like that in a few years, chasing the Terrors. Her smile grew even wider when she realized her child would grow up in a Berk at peace with the dragons.

"They're all here," Hiccup said softly, "it's time."

She took a deep breath and nodded slightly. Then she grabbed Hiccup's hand and stood up with him. It took a while before every one was quiet and looking at them. Only the children didn't care that something important was about to be said, and they didn't stop chasing the little dragons until their mothers grabbed them and told them to sit and be quiet.

"As you may know," Hiccup started, and he took a deep breath, "Astrid and I have decided to postpone the wedding for a few months."

Almost instantly everyone was talking again. A cacophony of voices filled the air, all talking and shouting, none of them audible. Hiccup groaned and rubbed temple.

"It would be nice if they listened for once," he mumbled, "and not just started yelling after every sentence I say."

"Shut it!" Astrid yelled, "let him finish!"

Al faces turned to her and she sighed. "Just let him finish okay?" she asked, "this is important for all of us."

"Thanks you," Hiccup mumbled and she squeezed his hand a little. "Alright. What I was trying to say is that we decided to postpone the wedding for a few months. Not because we don't love each other, we do. A lot. And we still want to get married, really we do, it's just that right now... well..."

"I'm pregnant," Astrid cut in, and she held Hiccup's hand tighter, "I'm having a baby..."

For a moment, every one was dead silent. They all stared at her, disbelief and shock written on their faces.

"What!?" Gobber blurted out suddenly, "and ya didn't tell me!?"

"This is outrageous!" another yelled, "blasphemous! A baby born to an unmarried couple is a bastard!"

After that every one started shouting again. Hiccup groaned loudly and sat down, his head in his hands. He stayed like that, motionless, until the voices died down again.

"Listen," Astrid started, "we didn't choose this. We didn't decide that we wanted a baby already, the decision was made for us. I realize that's it unorthodox and that many of you don't agree, but this is what the gods wanted. They gave us this baby, they made this decision for us. They decided that we were ready to have a child, even if we weren't married yet. Who are we then to oppose them?"

A few muffled mumbles rose from the crowd, but no one shouted out in protest anymore.

"You should be happy!" Astrid said loudly, "that your future chief is marrying a fertile woman!"

Hiccup looked up at that, meeting her eyes. She smiled and put her hand on his shoulder.

"I love this man," she said, "and I know that he loves me. Marriage is just a ceremony to bind us together for ever. But we're already a couple, already together. Nothing can change that, right, Hiccup?"

"Absolutely," Hiccup said, "nothing can change that. I know that it comes as a shock for you all. But believe me, it was a shock for us too. We didn't plan it, nor did we expect it. But it's the way it is. Astrid's pregnant and we're having a baby. So all we can do right now is wait. And when the baby is born, I promise you there will be a wedding. The best one Berk has ever seen."

Cheers now erupted from the crowd, and Hiccup breathed a sigh of relief.

"That went better than expected," he mumbled, "I think."

"I think it went great," Astrid said, but then another voice came from the crowd.

"You're not supporting this, are you Chief?"

Stoick narrowed his eyes. He had been silent the entire time Hiccup and Astrid were talking, keeping himself on the background, but now he stood up, towering over everyone else.

"I do support this!" he thundered, "I support my son and his fiancee in every choice they make. I also know that they were just as overwhelmed by this news as you all are. I know that they have doubts, second guesses, but as Hiccup said, this is the way it is now. The wedding will be postponed until the baby is born, and that's final! Anyone who has a problem with that can take it up with me! Is that understood?"

The man who had asked the question mumbled a few things, but didn't shout out in protest anymore. Stoick looked over his people, his looming presence casting a shadow on the floor below. When he was sure no one had anything more to say, he sat down again.

"Thanks dad," Hiccup said, "I must learn how to do that."

"You will son," Stoick said, there's much you haven't learned yet."

"I think you did great," Wrenlou piped in from Hiccup's other side.

"Thanks Wren," Hiccup said, looking at his friend, "I'm trying."

"They'll have to accept that this is the way it is," Astrid said, "if they like it or not."

Hiccup laughed a little. "That's true..." he said while he took his cup, "there's not much we can do about it now."

"There are things," Wrenlou said, "but none of them pleasant or favorable."

"Yeah let's not discuss that," Astrid said, "I'm having this baby, end of story."

"I wouldn't have it any other way," Hiccup said with a soft smile.

The meal itself was quiet. The usual rowdiness had subsided a little, the vikings quieter than most nights. They mumbled and whispered among themselves, sometimes casting a glance at Hiccup and Astrid. At the end of the meal, when they were all about to go back to their routines, most of them stepped by and congratulated the two.

"Well..." Gobber said when the last man had left, "yer pregnant then."

Astrid nodded. Gobber fiddled with his hook a little, not quite knowing what to say.

"How long have ya known?" he asked after a while.

"Few weeks..." Hiccup answered, looking at Astrid.

"And ya didn't tell me?" Gobber asked.

"I'm sorry Gobber," Hiccup said and he put his hand on the smith's arm, "it' was a shock for us as well. We needed time to get used to the idea."

"Yer dad knew," Gobber pointed out.

"Yes... but Gobber, he's my dad," Hiccup said, "I had to tell him. I had to know I had his support before telling everyone else."

"And Wrenlou?" Gobber asked, "did he know?"

"He knew first," Astrid said, "I thought I was sick, coming down with something," she explained when she saw Gobber's puzzled face, "I went to see Wrenlou and he figured out I was pregnant."

"I'm really sorry we kept it from you," Hiccup said, "but as I said, we needed some time to adjust."

"It's alright," Gobber said smiling, "I understand. But yer still coming to work!" He jabbed a finger at Hiccup's chest.

"I will don't worry," Hiccup laughed, "it will be a few months before the baby is born anyway. And there's so much we need... I need to make a crib.

"There's still time," Astrid said, "you just said so. And you don't have to build it yourself, there are people for that."

"I know I know," Hiccup said, "but I want to. I want to make it myself. Is that bad?"

"Of course not!" Astrid said smiling, "just make sure you don't push yourself too hard. You need to be fit when this baby comes."

"I will be," Hiccup said, "believe me, I will be."

Astrid smiled and grabbed his arm. They left the Great Hall together, the last bit of sunlight still on the horizon.

"Hiccup? Can you take Stormfly out today?" Astrid asked, "I don't feel like I should fly today."

"Sure thing," Hiccup said, "consider it done. Why don't you go home and rest. I'll be there shortly."

Astrid nodded and kissed his cheek. Then she turned around and started walking down the path that led to her house. They still hadn't completely figured out where to live, so sometimes they slept at her house, and sometimes they stayed at Hiccup's house. Stoick had always insisted that she moved in with them, since Hiccup was the future Chief of Berk, and he should live in the Chief's house. But even if she was Hiccup's fiancee, she didn't feel comfortable living in the Chief's house just yet.

"You don't make things easier little one," she said softly as she rubbed her belly, "but we'll figure it out. Your father is the smartest man I know, and the kindest. He'll find a solution, you'll see."

0-0-0-0-0

"Sir? We found a man adrift. He says a storm blew him away from his home, what should we do with him?"

Drago groaned and looked up from the maps on his table. "Feed him to the dragons," he said, waving his hand, "or throw him back. I don't care, get rid of him somehow."

He looked back at his maps, tracing a line with his finger, mumbling to himself, but after a while he noticed the man hadn't left.

"What are you still standing there!" he shouted, "get rid of that man!"

"Sir, he says he has information," the other man said, "about..."

"About what!?" Drago asked impatiently while he rounded the table and took his weapon from it's stand, "don't just stand there. Information about what!"

"Dragon riders sir!" the man blurted out, "he says he has information about dragon riders!"

"What...?" Drago asked, stopping dead in his tracks, "again with those dragon riders! I thought I had rid myself of that plague! Alright, bring him here. I'll hear what he has to say."

"Yes sir, immediately sir," the man said and he left after a short bow.

"Dragon riders..." Drago mumbled, "they keep appearing... I can't have that... they'll ruin everything... all my hard work... all the good I've done... I must destroy them."

"The prisoner sir," the man from earlier said while he pushed a dirty man to the ground.

"Leave us," Drago growled, and the man left, closing the door behind him.

He looked at the man before him. It was clear that he had been adrift for some time. His clothes were caked with dirt, and his black hair was matted and filthy. He had a rat bitten beard, but his eyes were bright and seemed to fill his soul with hatred.

"Mutt there says you have information," Drago said as he circled the man, "about dragon riders."

"Yes sir," the man said, his voice raw, "I do."

"Tell me everything you know," Drago said, stopping in front of the man, "and I may spare your life."

"I'll tell you," the man said, looking up, "on one condition."

Drago was tempted to throw the man into a dragon's cage, but he swallowed his anger back. Instead he balled his hand into a fist, clenching it so hard his knuckles turned white.

"And that is?" he asked through clenched teeth.

"Let me fight with you," the man said, standing up, "these dragon riders ruined my life, I'd give anything to get my revenge and kill them."

He smirked as his anger left him as quickly as it had come. "You may yet prove useful," he said, and he gestured to a chair, "sit. Tell me everything you know."

"With pleasure my lord," the man said, smirking darkly, "with pleasure."


	7. Woes of a Pregnant Woman

_So I wrote a chapter I never really planned to write... oh well. I'm tired, and weird things happen when I'm tired. It skips a few months, going from four to six months into the pregnancy, but that's all part of my diabolical plan. MWAHAHAHAHAHA. Okay. I'll behave now. *pets characters* I'm nice..._

 _Enjoy!_

 **Chapter 7. Woes of a Pregnant Woman**

"Hiccup, wake up," she whispered, "come on, wake up."

Hiccup groaned and woke slightly, turning to look at her, squinting at the light of the candle. "What is it...?" he mumbled, "what time is it..."

"I don't know," she said, "but Hiccup, I want oranges."

"What... now?" Hiccup asked as he pushed himself into a sitting position, "it's the middle of the night! And you don't even like oranges."

"I know that," she said, "but now I want them. I need them."

Hiccup looked at her incredulously. "And if I get them you suddenly don't anymore?"

"I do want them," she urged, "I know you have some, somewhere. You and Wrenlou have a secret stash, I know that. I want one... please Hiccup..."

Hiccup sighed deeply and rubbed his eyes. "Alright..." he mumbled while he swung his legs over the edge of the bed, "I'll go get you one..."

Astrid squeed with delight and hugged him tightly. "Thank you so much!" she whispered in his ear, "you're the best."

Hiccup didn't answer. He strapped his prosthetic to his leg and put some clothes on. Then he lit a second candle and stood up, leaving the room. Astrid laid back while she waited, rubbing her belly. It had been four months now, and she felt like she was getting bigger every day. It didn't take long for Hiccup to return, bringing her a frozen orange.

"Frozen?" she asked surprised, "I didn't know you could freeze oranges."

"How else do you think we've been able to keep them fresh for all this time?" Hiccup smiled while he sat down again, removing his prosthetic and slipping back into bed, "you can eat it just fine though."

"Thank you," Astrid said while she started to peel the orange.

Half way through Hiccup took over because she complained that she couldn't, and when he handed her the pieces one by one, she ate them hungrily.

"I don't know what's wrong with me," she said while stuffing two pieces in her mouth at once, "I just had a need for oranges. I HAD to have one."

"Cravings," Hiccup said simply, "you've been having a different one every week for the past month."

"Really?" she asked, "I didn't even notice. I thought it was just because I was hungry."

Hiccup laughed a little while he watched her eat the rest of the orange. He reached up and ran a hand through her hair that fell down her back like a waterfall.

"Hungry for oranges in the middle of the night," Hiccup smiled and he shifted so that he could put his head on her belly.

"Okay... I admit, that's a little strange," Astrid said while she ran her fingers through Hiccup's hair, "I'm amazed you even have some... that are still fresh."

"Everything stays fresh when you freeze it," Hiccup said, "and besides, Wrenlou brought these back when he went to Dragoncity a few months ago, remember?"

"Yes... why did he go there in the first place?" Astrid asked, "it couldn't have been his sister's birthday... not just that."

"He..." Hiccup started, "he brought me the materials for your ring... well.. the gold anyway."

Astrid looked at the ring she wore round her finger and smiled. "He did? Did you ask him to bring it?"

Hiccup nodded. "Well, he offered. I told him about my plan and what I wanted to make, but that I didn't have the material. By then I had gotten the stone from Johann, I just didn't have the gold."

"So he went all the way to the other side of the word to get some..." Astrid said.

"He did," Hiccup said while he laid his head against her belly again, "just for you."

Astrid smiles and fluffed her pillow a little before she leaned against it again. Hiccup curled up at her side, his head still on her belly. She kept running her hands through his hair, her fingers snagging on little knots and tangles she gently pulled apart. They sat like that for a while, then she spoke up again.

"How's the crib coming?" she asked softly.

Hiccup didn't answer and she looked down, calling his name. When he still didn't answer she gently shook his shoulder, and discovered he had fallen asleep. She smiled and carefully moved his head aside so she could lay down. He groaned and wrapped his arms around her as soon as she did, snuggling close. She placed a kiss on his forehead and pulled the blanket over them both, soon falling asleep as well.

0-0-0-0-0-0

"Good morning Astrid," Wrenlou said as he walked towards her, "how do you feel today?"

"I feel huge," Astrid sighed, "like I swallowed a Gronckle. And I have three more months to go."

"It will be fine, really," Wrenlou said, "have you talked to any of the mothers on Berk? They can tell you what to expect at birth and after the baby is born. That may help you prepare."

"I haven't yet," Astrid said, "but I will."

"It all looks good," Wrenlou said while he gently pressed down on Astrid stomach, "is there anything different from last week?"

"I feel bigger," Astrid said, "and I think my ankles are a little swollen. Same with my wrists."

"That's normal," Wrenlou said, "there's not a lot I can do about it. I can try to keep it down by wrapping a bandage around it to try and press it down, but that may or may not work. The choice is yours."

"It's not that painful at the moment," Astrid said, "you can leave it. I'll come back when it starts to hurt."

"That's good," Wrenlou said, "how's the nausea? Still there?"

"Yeah..." Astrid said regretfully, "I think it will haunt me until this baby is born. That stuff ran out though, do you have some more for me?"

"Absolutely," Wrenlou said while he stood up and walked over to the cabinet with herbs, "are you getting enough sleep?"

"Some night are better than others," Astrid said, "but I think I do."

"Excellent," Wrenlou said, mixing some herbs in a bowl, "are you having cravings?"

"Is that relevant to the development of the baby?" Astrid asked, crossing her arms.

"Not really," Wrenlou said with a smile, "I'm just curious."

"I do get cravings," Astrid said, "sometimes in the middle of the night. I'm afraid Hiccup is getting rather fed up with having to get up all the time. I was dying for oranges two months ago or so, I made him get up and get me some. I don't even like oranges."

"It happens sometimes," Wrenlou said, "you either start liking a food you hated or start hating a food you liked. Here you go. That should be enough for a few weeks."

"Thank you," Astrid said and she took the bottle from Wrenlou, "you don't happen to know a secret way to tell if it's a boy or a girl?"

"No... sorry," Wrenlou said, "I did know a woman who could tell if it was a boy or a girl by listening to the baby's heartbeat, but I'm afraid I don't have that much experience with babies."

"We'll have to think of two names then," Astrid mumbled.

Wrenlou nodded. "How's the crib coming? I know Hiccup smashed his thumb with a hammer yesterday, I was the one fixing it."

"I believe it's almost done," Astrid said while she stood up, "but now that his thumb is hurt it may be a while before he finishes it. I told him he could have the woodworkers do it, but he insists on doing it himself."

"Let him," Wrenlou said, "he always told me that he wanted to build a crib once he would have a baby. Besides, it't not the first time he's hit his thumb with a hammer. I've taken care of a lot of smashes thumbs and even more burns."

"He told me," Astrid said, "he said you're the only healer who can touch him."

Wrenlou smiled a little. "Have a good day Astrid. I'll see you again next week. And if there's anything before that, just let come by, okay?"

"I will," Astrid said, "thank you once again."

"Anytime," Wrenlou said and he opened the door for her.

She smiled at him and left, the bottle in her hand, her other on her still growing belly. She went home first, to place the bottle safely on the stand near her bed. Then she looked around for her axe, wanting to train some today, but then she remembered she also needed to fly Stormfly again, and she usually couldn't do both at the same day. After some hesitation she decided to take Stormfly out again. It had been a few weeks since she had done that.

She found the dragon in her stable, curled up and sleeping soundly. But when the dragon heard her voice she was instantly awake, chirping while hopping from foot to foot.

"It's okay girl," she laughed, "I'm here now, we'll go fly. But take it easy okay? We have to go slow. No crazy tricks and things like that."

The dragon nudged her shoulder, eager to stretch her wings and Astrid got the saddle. It was hard to get the saddle on the dragon on any other day, but now it was even harder because the dragon was bursting with energy, and because she was pregnant. In the end she managed to get the saddle on securely, but she needed a stool to get on it.

"being pregnant is harder than I thought," she mumbled as she sat down in the saddle.

It wasn't at all comfortable. Her stomach seemed even bigger, and the knob on the saddle was poking it.

"Just a short flight girl," she said, petting the dragon's neck, "I won't be able to do this for much longer," she added, mumbling to herself, "if I get any bigger that knob will be a serious problem."

Stormfly chirped again and spread her wings. She flew up as gently as she could, slowly flying around the island. Astrid could tell that the dragon wanted to race and roll through the clouds and chase birds and catch fish, but that she was holding back for her rider and her baby. She had tried to let the dragon out to fly on her own, but Stormfly had refused to do so, not wanting to take to the air without her rider on her back.

"Why won't you just fly without me," Astrid sighed, "you could get all of your energy out and not worry about me or the baby."

The dragon crooned softly and landed after a few more rounds around the island. Stormfly kneeled down so that she could dismount easily, and when she did she leaned against the dragon for a while.

"I promise I'll take you on a long flight after the baby is born," she said rubbing Stormfly's nose, "we will fly for hours and hours and do all our moves again. Does that sound good?"

Stormfly chirped happily and nudged Astrid's shoulder, demanding more attention from the girl. Astrid happily obliged, scratching the dragon's scales.

"It's all changing so fast," she said softly, "getting married... having a baby... I'm going to be a mom Stormfly, what do you think of that. Did you ever think I would be a mom?"

The dragon didn't answer but purred loudly, her head now on Astrid's lap. Astrid smiled, leaning back against Stormfly's warm side.

"I on't be able to fly you for much longer girl," she said, "someone else will have to do it. And right after the baby is born I don't think I can fly. But the moment I can, we will. It'll be the best flight ever."

Stormfly purred louder, the purrs vibrating through Astrid's body. It almost felt like a massage and Astrid smiled. Right now being pregnant wasn't so bad after all.


	8. An Old Enemy

_Hi people... so... I apologize in advance for the cliffhanger... I know you guys LOVE those. And I don't have anything else to say... hmm..._

 _Enjoy!_

* * *

 **Chapter 8. An Old Enemy**

Astrid slowly pushed the door open. She was earlier then usual, and the lights inside the hut were off.

"Wrenlou?" she called hesitantly into the darkness, "are you in here yet?"

No answer came, so she walked in further. Now that she was inside she could see a faint light in one of the corners, the flickering of a candle in the darkness. She carefully walked closer, not sure what she'd find. The light was coming from behind a curtain, and she could see a shadowy figure behind it. When she pulled it aside she saw Wrenlou, his back turned against her. He was shirtless, rubbing something on his shoulder while flexing his arm. She could vaguely see the scars from where the Titan Wing had wounded him, but there were other scars on his back as well, ones she remembered seeing on Hiccup's back as well. She knew what had caused them, she didn't need anyone to tell her that, but that wasn't what drew her attention. There was something on his left shoulder, a mar she couldn't quite see. Without thinking about it, she reached out and touched it, completely unprepared for Wrenlou's reaction. He whipped around, slapping her hand away. She thought she could see a flicker of fear in his eyes, but it died just as soon as it lit up.

"Astrid," he breathed, "I didn't expect you yet."

"What's that on your shoulder," Astrid asked, ignoring him and trying to get behind him, "is it a scar?"

"I don't want to talk about it," Wrenlou said curtly, "why don't you go over there and wait until I'm done."

"Not until you tell me what it is," Astrid said, her stubborn and curious nature getting the best of her, "it's not that hard is it? I know what these are," she gestured to the scars that crossed his chest, "but what is on your shoulder?"

"I don't want to talk about it," Wrenlou said again, "please leave."

"You can tell me," Astrid pushed, once again trying to get behind Wrenlou to see his shoulder, "it's okay."

"I just don't want to talk about it," Wrenlou said, barely able to hide the tremor in his voice, "it's nothing anyway."

"It has to be something," Astrid said, "please tell me? Please?"

"Fine..." Wrenlou mumbled, "if you promise to go away after that..."

"Okay," Astrid said, "now show me."

Wrenlou reluctantly allowed her to get behind him, shining the light of the candle on his shoulder. She gasped as soon as she saw the scar, staring at him in shock.

"It's a brand?" she whispered, "this is Roman... isn't it?"

"Yes..." Wrenlou said while he pulled away and grabbed his shirt, "I was a prisoner of the Romans once. Just like Hiccup. There, I told you. Please leave me alone now."

"What about my headache?" Astrid asked, stepping away.

"Ask Aminda," Wrenlou mumbled, "I'm.. busy."

"Okay..." Astrid said, "that's... okay... I will do that."

Wrenlou watched her leave, gripping his tunic so tight that his knuckles turned white. When he heard the door close he let go, dropping to his knees. After taking a few deep breaths and forcing back some memories he'd rather forget he got up again, and turned to the mirror. He was just able to see the scars on his shoulder, but he hadn't done so in a long time. He liked to think he had forgotten that they were there, but he was always reminded of them when someone caught him without a shirt.

"Keep it together," he whispered to himself while he pulled his tunic over his head, "don't let it get to you. Just... do your job. Focus on something else. Anything, but that."

He took a deep breath and brushed some hair out of his eyes. He studied his reflection, not liking the fact that he saw the fear that had creeped into his eyes.

"Don't let it get to you," he mumbled again while he turned around, "focus on something else. I can do this."

After taking another deep breath he straightened his back, trying to ignore the ghosts of pain flashing through his body. He walked to the door and slipped outside, shivering a little in the cold air. The cold helped him get his mind of the horrors from his past, and he quickly walked down the plaza towards a house on his right. He felt a little bad for sending Astrid away, but he knew that right now he couldn't be around her. He promised himself that he would talk with her later.

0-0-0-0-0-0

She had just left Aminda's house when she saw Wrenlou walking across the plaza. She called his name and went after him, feeling bad about pushing him to talk about his scars earlier. He didn't turn around, but instead ducked his head lower and quickened his pace, disappearing around a corner before she had a chance to catch up with him.

She sighed deeply and leaned against a wall to catch her breath. She remembered how Hiccup had been when she had inquired about the scars on his body, how he had shut down and turned away. She could have known that Wrenlou would react the same. The only one's she knew that boasted about scars, showing them to everyone who wanted to see them, and people who didn't, were the twins.

After searching for him for about an hour she gave up. He clearly didn't want to be found at the moment, probably struggling with memories that had surfaced because of her. She sighed and went to the Great Hall, half hoping that he would be there, but all she found were a few late Vikings hastily eating their breakfast.

0-0-0-0-0

"Astrid, have you seen Wrenlou?" Hiccup asked, "I haven't seem him all day. We were supposed to have lunch together but he didn't show up. You went to see him this morning right?"

"I did... yes..." she said hesitantly.

"Did something happen?" Hiccup asked, sensing her unease, "is he okay?"

"I don't know," she answered truthfully, "I think I might have upset him. But I didn't mean to! I swear it wasn't my intention to upset him."

"What did you do?" Hiccup asked, coming closer.

Astrid sighed and sat down, one hand on her belly. "I caught him with his shirt off," she confessed, "I believe he was rubbing something on his arm, to relief pain I think. But I saw his scars... t...the brand..."

"And you asked him about it," Hiccup sighed while he sat down next to her, "and he didn't want to tell you, so you pushed?"

She nodded wordlessly and Hiccup sighed deeply.

"Astrid..." he said while he ran a hand through his hair, "there's a reason he doesn't talk about it."

"I know," she said, "honestly, I do. But you've been more open with me lately and I guess I didn't think... I figured he would be as well."

"First of all, you're my fiancee and the mother of my baby," Hiccup said, "second, it's more recent for him than it is for me. And it was different too..."

"Different how?" Astrid asked, "he was whipped and so were you, I know that much."

"Yes, but Astrid," Hiccup said and he took her hand, "the reason why was different. I was arrested on suspicion of murder, and what they did to me was punishment. They wanted me dead. Wrenlou was taken by slave traders. Their goal was to break him, not kill him. And they very nearly succeeded too. I shouldn't tell you this, so don't tell him I told you."

Astrid looked down. "I didn't know that," she said softly, "I feel bad about hurting him."

Hiccup smiled a little and lifted her chin. "Here's what we'll do," he said softly, "I'll go find him, talk to him. I know what will make him feel better. And tomorrow you should apologize, even if you never meant to hurt him."

"I will," Astrid said, nodding, "absolutely. I don't even know I was that pushy in the first place."

"You're a Viking," Hiccup said and he stood up, "and pregnant. I'm sure that messes with your mind a little."

She smiled weakly and stood up as well. "I have no idea where he is," she said, "I've been trying to find him all day. He's probably been avoiding me as well..."

"You don't know him like I do," Hiccup said with a smile, "and you weren't there the first time. I'll go find him, talk to him. And tomorrow..."

"I apologize," Astrid said, nodding, "I will. Tell him I'm sorry, please?"

"I will," Hiccup said, "shall we meet up for dinner?"

Astrid nodded and he turned around. He had some idea of where to look for Wrenlou but he wasn't completely sure. He found Snowflake though, laying on the plaza in the sun, curled up with Toothless. Both dragons looked at him when he walked by, but made no further movements.

It took a while before he had tracked him down, but he finally found his brother in his bedroom, sitting on the floor next to his bed. He had his legs pulled against his chest, his face buried in his knees, and he didn't look up when Hiccup entered. He didn't say anything, he just sat down next to Wrenlou, waiting until he was ready to talk.

"It's stupid..." Wrenlou finally mumbled, not moving his head, "I shouldn't react like this every time."

"I understand why you do though," Hiccup said, "you know I did for the longest time. And I still have nightmares about Rome and Marcus... it's more than a physical scar, it's an emotional one as well. And that takes a lot more time and love to heal. You told me that, remember?"

Wrenlou nodded a little and looked up. Hiccup saw now that he hadn't been crying, as he had thought, but his eyes were shining.

"It's stupid," he said again, "it's been years. It shouldn't bother me like this."

Hiccup placed a gentle hand on Wrenlou's shoulder, smiling softly. "You're still not completely healed," he said, "and that's okay. These things take time, a lot more than we want. You know it took me years to get over it and stop being afraid of snapping sounds or even the sound of a hammer. And it's pretty lousy of a blacksmith is afraid of his own tools."

"I know..." Wrenlou said, looking down.

"And you were the one that helped me when my scars kept hurting," Hiccup said, "you've done so much for me, for anybody, I think it's time we did something for you now."

"Like what...?" Wrenlou asked.

"Take the rest of the day off," Hiccup said, "take Snowflake, go on a long flight. Sunset isn't for a few hours, so you can sit on a sea stack and enjoy that too."

"I have patients," Wrenlou protested, but Hiccup silenced him.

"They can wait. And if they can't, Aminda or one of the other girls can do it. They'll be fine, right now I'm worried about you. You need some time away from Berk, even if it's just a few hours."

"Maybe you're right..." Wrenlou said, fiddling with the sleeve of his tunic.

"Here's what we'll do then," Hiccup said and he stood up, "you take Snow out for a long, very long flight. You can also go somewhere and stay on the ground, I don't really care. And tomorrow morning we'll all have breakfast together, and Astrid said she'd apologize to you. She really is sorry for hurting you."

"I'm fine," Wrenlou said, taking Hiccup's hand and getting up, "just... some memories I'd have like to stay hidden."

"Go hide them again," Hiccup said with a warm smile, "I know flying helps clear your head."

Wrenlou nodded and brushed a stray tear from his face. "Thanks Hiccup."

"You would have done the same for me," Hiccup said, "in fact, you have done the same for me a few times in the past."

Wrenlou smiled weakly and followed Hiccup outside. He thanked him one last time, then went to get Snowflake. She was still curled up on the plaza with Toothless, but she perked up when he came towards her. After she stretched and yawned, she crouched down, to allow Wrenlou to climb onto the saddle. Toothless whined and nosed him, asking to come along.

"Sorry Toothless," he said while he climbed onto Snowflake's back, "if you want to fly you'll have to get Hiccup."

Toothless whined again but backed away, turning to find his own rider. Wrenlou watched him go, blending into the shadows, then he petted Snowflake's head.

"Come on girl," he whispered and her ear twitched, "lets go flying."

The Night Fury spread her wings and took off, shooting into the clouds like an arrow released from a bow. Almost instantly he felt better, the dark memories and fears drifting away as they soared high above the clouds. Wrenlou took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Hiccup was right when he had said that flying helps. Flying was the ultimate freedom, the ability to go where ever wings could take you, and it was perfect to chase away the memories of dark and damp cells.

They watched the sunrise from a sea stack just off the coast of Dragon Island, formerly the home of the Titan Wing that had terrorized Berk for centuries. The fog surrounding the island was gone, and it was home to may different species of dragons now, all living in peace with each other.

As they sat on the sea stack together a flock of dragons passed them. It was the strangest flock he'd ever seen. Gronckles and Nadders and Zipplebacks flying side by side, not trying to kill each other. A chattering flock of Terrors landed on the sea stack, swarming him looking for food. He didn't bring anything, so they left, chirping disappointment while they swarmed around the larger dragons in the flock. After the sun had set Wrenlou stood up, stretching his arms and legs.

"What do you say girl," he asked, turning to Snowflake, "do you want to go back to Berk yet?"

When the dragon crooned and shook her head he laughed a little. "Yeah didn't think so. Me neither. Lets just fly around until we get tired, then land somewhere to spend the night."

Snowflake jumped up and shook her wings. Wrenlou chuckled and climbed onto the saddle. They dove down, towards the water, but pulled up just in time, a fine mist spraying their faces.

"I just love flying..." Wrenlou sighed happily while he leaned back on the dragon, staring up at the stars as they drifted through the sky, "nothing is more perfect."

0-0-0-0-0-0

A shout echoed through the ship, and rapid footsteps approached his door. It was thrown open, a young man in the doorway, panting and gasping for breath.

"Eret..." he gasped, "d..dragon..."

He jumped up, already shouting orders for the men to ready the bola's and the nets. But when he got up on deck he froze, staring at the white speck in the sky. He pulled a spyglass from his belt, looking at the vague dot, and gasped, his eyes widening.

"It's them!" he said, swirling around, "the White Fury! We found it! Guys, we can't let this one get away. Ready everything we've got, this is our ticket to freedom!"

Immediately the ship fell into chaos. Cages with trapped dragons were brought down into the hold, all the sails were deployed so they could sail at the highest possible speed, and they readied every bola launcher and net they had. Eret stood on the bow of the ship, a crazed grin on his face.

"Finally..." he mumbled, "after all these years... you're mine again..."

His hand went up to his chest, to where Drago had burned him for his failure the first time. This time he would bring him the Night Fury, alive and unharmed, just like he had ordered them to.

"Steady..." he said, "take it easy... steady... get ready men, we're almost in position."

The ship cut through the waves like a hot sword through flesh, silent and deadly, unheard and unseen. Eret kept his eyes foxed on the white dragon in the sky, the Fury circling lower. He could now se the figure mounted on her back, and his grin grew wider.

"A dragon and revenge," he whispered, "excellent."

He raised his hand, a signal for his men to get ready, and when they were so close he could almost touch the dragon's tail, his hand shot down like a snake shooting at it's prey. Bola's and nets shot up into the sky, snaring the white dragon, tangling around her wings and tail, and she plummeted from the sky with a shriek of terror.

"Move move move!" Eret shouted, and the ship shot forward, positioning itself under the dragon so that she and her rider hit the deck.

They were immediately surrounded by armed men, the dragon trashing and growling under the nets. Wrenlou struggled to get his arm free from the bola that had wrapped around him, trying to get to his knife to cut them out, but before he could he was grabbed by a pair of scarred hands and hauled to his feet.

"Secure the dragon!" a voice rang over the deck, "watch out! Don't let it spew fire!"

Wrenlou kicked the man holding him and the guy let go of his wrists. But before he could go anywhere, two more men grabbed his arms and twisted them behind his back, tying them together with a leather cord.

"Look who it is..." Eret smirked, "good to see you again. I must say I'm surprised to find you this far north though."

"You," Wrenlou spat, fighting the men that tied his hands behind his back, "let me go!"

"Oh I don't think so," Eret said, coming closer, watching how his men secured the dragon, "you see, your little stunt nearly cost me my life. Today, I'll have my revenge."

"You're to blame for whatever happened to you," Wrenlou hissed, "I had no part in your poor life choices."

"Because of you I got this," Eret growled back, showing his prisoner the brand on his chest, "because of you I've been doomed to a life of dragon hunting. No one crosses Drago Bludvist and lives for long. Death has been hanging over my head ever since the day you stole my dragons. Not anymore. Your White Fury is my ticket to freedom. Our ticket to freedom. Isn't it so lads!"

The whole boat cheered, but Wrenlou spat on the deck.

"You made the mistake of taking our dragons," he said darkly, "you should have known we'd take them back."

"Speaking of which," Eret grinned and he grabbed Wrenlou's chin, forcing their eyes to meet, "where is your little friend?"

"Where you'll never find him," Wrenlou said, "and so is his dragon."

"I'll lure him out," Eret said, "both of them. You two are close, are you not? So what would he do if he found your body washed up somewhere?"

Wrenlou's eyes widened. "You wouldn't..." he whispered shocked, "you can't!"

"I can," Eret said coldly, "finally I have my revenge. Finally I can take the prize of my head. I will bring Drago this white dragon, and then I will go out again and find your friend and take his dragon too. Take her below deck, throw him overboard. He's no use to us anymore."

"No!" Wrenlou screamed, desperately struggling to get free, "Snowflake!"

The dragon growled through her muzzle, fighting the chains, but they were to strong. She was pulled away, down through a trapdoor in the center of the deck, and the last Wrenlou saw of her were her frightened eyes staring back at him. He didn't have time to think about anything else because he was then pushed over the railing, into the cold dark water below.

It felt like a kick in the stomach, the cold biting at him from all sides. He tried to swim, stay afloat, but even if he was an excellent swimmer, he wasn't used to the cold waters of Berk, and his hands were still tied behind his back. He had to watch the ship sail away, Snowflake's cries carrying out over the water, and he fought to stay above the water. It was pulling at him from all sides, trying to take him under into the depths below, and he could feel his strength and energy draining away. The cold was creeping into his body, numbing him from all sides, and he could feel how he was losing consciousness.

"Snow... flake..." he coughed, spitting up water he had swallowed, "Hiccup..."

The water pulled him under, closing above his head, and no matter how hard he tried he couldn't surface again. His lungs were screaming for air, and the last thing he saw was a dark shape shooting towards him, then he felt his body going numb and everything went black.


	9. A Glimpse of Freedom

_Hello guys! Early update this time. No word o Wrenlou yet... sorry guys... you'll have to wait to find out what happens to him... *grins*_

 _Enjoy!_

* * *

 **Chapter 9. A Glimpse of Freedom**

The ship cut through the dark waters riddled with ice. They had to be careful not to hit an iceberg and sink, ending up in the freezing water. Eret was standing on the bow again, a knot forming in his stomach. He never liked going to Drago's fleet. The dark and menacing ships were much larger then his, filled with men and dragons that served Drago unconditionally. The mad man's ship itself was in the centre, the largest of all the ships, looming dark and threatening over everything around it. Eret held his breath as the ship sailed so close past another they could almost shake hands with it's crew.

"Steady lads," Eret said, turning to his crew, "we don't want to hit anyone."

The helmsman nodded and carefully steered the small trappers ship through the maze of large warships, towards the one he feared the most. He looked at the cage on deck, the White Fury sleeping soundly, still under the influence of the sedation darts they had to use on her. Her wings were chained to her sides with heavy, dragon proof chains, and the muzzle was still securely around her head.

"You're my ticket to freedom," he whispered in the sleeping dragon's ear, "my way out of this horrible place."

He took a blanket and covered the cage with it, not wanting to reveal his best bet to freedom right away. Then he straightened his back, looking at the men that had gathered on deck.

"Remember lads, we have to do this right," he said, "we'll present him with the other dragons first, and the White Fury last. I'm sure that will please him."

"But sir, what if he asks about that other Night Fury? He said he wanted both of them."

"Then we'll tell him we're very close to catching it!" Eret snapped, "it's not a lie. Soon now they'll find that brat's body somewhere, or in the very least they'll realise he's missing. They'll send out search parties, and the Night Fury will be part of it. After all, are they not as close as brothers? That's what I remember from our previous encounter."

The men nodded hastily and Eret turned back to the bow of the ship, seeing Drago's massive flagship looming over them. The men himself was watching them arrive, standing on deck with his bull hook in his hand. He was wearing the same black cloak as ever, made from the skins of dragons that wouldn't submit.

"You're late!" the man's deep voice sounded over the water, "I hope you brought me something worth my time, for your sake."

"Fear not my lord," Eret called back, "I'm sure our catch pleases you."

"Bring them on board!" Drago ordered, turning away, "and make it quick. I don't have all day."

Eret swallowed and looked at the cage. "You better be worth as much as I think you are," he whispered softly, "or I just killed my crew... he's in a bad mood today..."

Drago paced impatiently across the deck. The day hadn't begun good. He had been told that the raiding party he had send out to a nearby village had been crushed, his dragons killed and his ships sunk. He hadn't thought it possible, no one had defeated him before. But the village had been small, maybe he had let his arrogance rule his judgement and had he underestimated their strength. And now that failure Eret dared to show his face again. Gods, he hated that man and his utter incompetence.

"Sir? The trappers are here."

"Thank you Mutt," he mumbled.

Mutt was the only one he trusted completely. He had found him years ago, when he had been just a boy, in a city far away. He had been a beggar on the streets, living with a pack of stray dogs. The boy had been filthy, hardly able to communicate other then growls and grunts, and completely unaware of his own name. Drago remembered that day well, the only day he had shown true mercy, as he had taken the boy in and raised him as his own. Now he was a loyal captain, and a fierce warrior, the only one he entrusted with his life, should it come to it.

He turned around, seeing Eret and his band of failures standing on the deck. They had some dragons with them, nothing too exotic, and a covered cage in their midst. The men looked nervous, wringing their hands and avoiding his gaze, most staring at the ground. He focused his attention on Eret, the leader of this small group.

"Well?" he asked, his voice cold, "surely you brought more than two Nadders, a Monstrous Nightmare and what's this... a Timberjack?"

"Yes sir..." Eret said nervously and he stepped back, placing a hand on the cage, "I brought one more, sir. But before we show it to you sir, I would like to ask a favour."

"A favour?" Drago asked, and for a while he stared at Eret, almost not believing what he heard. Then he started laughing, a joyless laugh, raw and deep.

"A favour he says!" he said, still laughing, and some of the men on the deck laughed nervously. Drago suddenly whipped around, pointing the tip of his weapon at Eret's throat, his eyes dark and threatening.

"I owe you no favors," he growled, "you belong to me, you do as I ask, you understand? There will be no favours, not now, not ever!"

"All I ask for is the lives of my crew," Eret asked, swallowing, "and my own."

"If I spare you or not will depend greatly on what you have in that cage," Drago said, lightly pressing the sharp tip into Eret's skin, drawing just a single droplet of blood, "now show me, what is so special that you dare to ask me such a thing?"

Eret glanced back, at his men. They nodded lightly, and he stepped back util he was next to the cage. He grabbed the blanket covering it, and after a final glance at Drago, he yanked it off the cage.

"I present to you, the white Night Fury," he said with more pride in his voice than he meant to, "caught only last night, near an island not far from here."

"Well..." Drago said, kneeling down to admire the sleeping dragon, studying the saddle she wore, "you've certainly surpassed my expectations this time. She sure is magnificent. But what of her rider? Where is he?"

"He... escaped, sir," Eret said, "fiddling a little with the blanket, "he jumped overboard before we could stop him."

"Seems like you're still incompetent," Drago said, "but your sins are forgiven this time. You brought me one Night Fury, what of the other?"

"The other wasn't there my lord," Eret said, "but we'll find it, I swear. They will send out search parties as soon as they realise they're missing, and we'll be able to capture it then."

"Bring me it's rider as well this time," Drago said, "you have one week to complete your mission. Fail, and I will kill you and your crew. Am I clear?"

"Very clear my lord," Eret said and he bowed stiffly, "absolutely clear. We will depart immediately."

Drago grunted a reply, again kneeling in front of the cage. He had imagined what it would be like, seeing the White Fury for the first time, but now that he saw her, this close in front of him, it was more than he could have dreamed it would be. The pale moonlight and the warm shine of the torches reflected of her pure white scales, making it seem like she was covered in millions of pearls and diamonds

"You are beautiful," he whispered, "and you have no idea how important you are to me."

He stood, not able to tear his gaze away from the dragon in front of him. Finally, he looked away, straightening his back.

"Get her below deck," he orders two men nearby, "and be careful with her. I do not want her harmed in any way, do you understand?"

"Yes sir," the men say, bowing curtly and they open a hatch in the middle of the ship.

He watches as the cage is lowered, the dragon it holds rousing from her sleep, fighting her restraints. Drago smirks, relishing with the thought of what is to come.

"You're mine," he mumbled, "forget your pathetic rider, and your miserable life. I'll turn you into the fierce warrior you were born to be."

The cage clanked on the bottom of the hold, the dragon now furious. Drago laughed a little and descended down the stairs, stepping into the arena like chamber just as the hatch above closed. The Night Fury was snarling through the muzzle, trying to break the chains that bound her, but it was to no avail.

Drago, completely unfazed by this threatening display, walked closer and opened the cage, grabbing the end of one chain and pulling the dragon out. He circled her as she trashed and fought, eyeing her from all sides before he came to a stop in front of her. The dragon snarled, staring at him with hatred in her eyes. He stared back coldly, his stare hard, and when she growled again, he brought the handle of his bull hook down on her head. She whimpered and pulled away some, and he smirked.

"You are mine," he whispered, "you will submit to me, you will do my bidding."

The dragon remained silent, and he bent down, removing the muzzle. As soon as it was off her head snapped up and she stared at Drago once again, defiance clearly in here eyes. She shrieked so loud that even Drago stumbled backwards, dropping his weapon. Right after she fired a plasma blast at the man, but he had raised his cloak just in time, and the fire didn't harm him.

"You will submit!" he screamed as soon as the smoke had disappeared, "you will be mine!"

The Night Fury roared her answer, anger visible in every fiber of her being, despite being chained and unable to move, she was still dangerous and threatening, and he decided it would be best to let her cool off for a few hours. He left, never taking his eyes off the angry dragon, and as soon as he closed the door, he heard how she started thrashing again, trying to break the chains, firing plasma blasts to break out. He smirked, knowing it wouldn't work. The entire ship was dragon proof, no flame could harm it. There was no way out for her, and he relished the thought of finally having her in his possession.

0-0-0-0-0-0

"That could've gone worse," one of his men said and Eret nodded.

"We still have our lives and no one was hurt," he agreed, "but it could've gone a lot better too. I should've known that he wouldn't let us go without having that black demon as well."

"But it's okay, isn't it? We'll go back to that island, wait for the patrols to come. That kid should've washed ashore by now, don't you think?"

"Ay, he should've," Eret nodded, "and when morning comes they'll soon find out he's missing, and then they'll come out of hiding. And then I'll finally be able to complete my revenge. Delivering that second Night Fury to Drago will ensure our freedom, and we'll deliver it's rider as well. One more slave for Drago's ship. Maybe we can even find that kid's body and bring that back as well, have the gang together again."

He laughed to himself with that idea, his mood a good one, the first time in many months he had felt this joyous and relieved. Walking to the railing of the ship, he sighed, staring out over the ocean. A bleak light could be seen at the horizon, the first sign the sun was coming out

"For the first time things are finally going my way," he mumbled to himself, "I finally have a chance to be free again. And then we'll go far, far away from here, and we'll never return."


	10. Rescued

_Alrighty fellas, here's another chapter! For those if you who missed it, I posted another chapter, chapter 9, a few days ago. If you haven't read it yet, go read it!_

 _Enjoy!_

* * *

 **Chapter 10. Rescued**

"Is there still no sign of him?" Astrid said, joining Hiccup at the cliff.

Hiccup shook his head. "He should have been here by now," he said, turning away from the ocean far below, "even if he fell asleep somewhere, he should have been back. He's not one to break a promise."

"Do you think something happened?" Astrid asked, taking Hiccup's arm.

"I do," Hiccup said, "the skies were rough last night. Maybe they were blown off course and forced to seek shelter. I don't know."

"You want to go look for him." Astrid said, and it wasn't a question.

"I do, yes," Hiccup said while he turned to her, "I'm worried. Wren isn't the kind of person to be late, not for any reason."

"Go then," Astrid said and she kissed his cheek, "and may the gods go with you. And you better come back in one piece or I'll have your head, you hear me?"

"I hear you," Hiccup said with a smile, "but you needn't worry. I'll be fine. I have Toothless with me, after all."

Astrid smiled and nodded. Hiccup gave her one last kiss before he climbed onto Toothless' back and the dragon flew up into the air, beating his wings and gaining altitude quickly.

"I don't even know where to begin..." Hiccup mumbled as he scanned the ocean below, "why don't we head to the cove of Raven Point, and if he's not there we'll widen our search. What do you think bud?"

Toothless crooned and Hiccup smiled. They made it to the cove in no time, after all, it wasn't far from the village, but there was no sign of Wrenlou, nor any sign that he had even been there. Hiccup sighed and rubbed his face.

"Wren, where are you..." he muttered under his breath as he nudged Toothless to fly up again, "where are you hiding..."

Toothless crooned questioningly, tilting his head towards Hiccup some. Hiccup looked around, biting his lip, and pulled out the map of the immediate area.

"Alright bud, here's what we'll do," he said, tracing a line between the paper islands, "we'll go to Thor's Beach. From there we'll go east, towards... this little unnamed island... I need to find out what it's called... anyway, then we' circle around to Dragon Island. And if we haven't found him by then, we're going back to Berk for reinforcements."

Toothless cooed softly and banked left, beating his wings to pick up speed and soon they had checked Thor's Beach and Hiccup's nameless island, and still there was no trace of Wrenlou. As they were on their way to Drago Island, formerly known as the home of the Titan Wing, or as the Vikings had started calling it, the Red Death. Since the beast had been defeated a year ago the endless fog had dissipated, and the island had flourished. It was now home to many different species of dragon, and, after Berk, the second largest island in the entire Archipelago. It's beaches had a strange similarity to the ones of Night Fury Island, not the rocky shores of Berk, but black, volcanic sand. It was a place where Wrenlou was known to go when he missed home, walking endlessly across the beach.

As he flew across the island, he suddenly spotted something on the beach below him. It was a blue speck upon the black, and when he steered Toothless closer he saw that it was a Scauldron, seeming stranded on the shore.

"Come on bud!" Hiccup said, "we have to help it!"

Toothless folded his wings to his side and they shot down at the ground. At the last moment he opened them and they landed in a spray of sand and dust. Hiccup slipped to the ground, his prosthetic sinking into the loose sand of the beach, but he paid no attention to it. He had his eyes fixed on the Scauldron, the dragon staring back at him.

"Hey..." Hiccup said as he walked closer, "I know you... don't I? You're the one we found on Thor's Beach a few months ago...yes I remember. You had a broken wing. Wrenlou fixed it for you. You're not hurt again are you? I don't know where he is..."

The Scauldron squawked at him and turned around, scurrying back to the ocean and disappearing under the waves.

"Huh," Hiccup said as he straightened his back and crossed his arms, "not stranded at all then. Alright, come on Toothless, we've wasted enough time... Toothless?"

He looked around, but didn't see his dragon anywhere. He was just about to call out again, when he heard a distressed cry, and all his muscles tensed.

"Toothless?" he yelled, running along the shoreline best he could, "Toothless! Where are you!"

He rounded a curve in the beach, and saw Toothless standing in the sand, nudging something at his feet. Hiccup breathed a sigh of relief, but kept his guard up as he walked closer.

"You scared me bud," he said, smiling a little, "I thought you were hurt. What you got there? Some driftwood again?"

The dragon whined and stepped aside, revealing what was at his feet. Hiccup froze for a moment, staring at the motionless body in the sand.

"Wrenlou!?" he called out and he rushed forward, falling to his knees at Wrenlou's side, "Wrenlou! What happened..."

He quickly spotted the rope that bound Wrenlou's wrists together and pulled his knife out to cut it. Then he pulled him into his arms, laying his head on his chest, looking for a heartbeat. He found one, albeit a weak one.

"Wrenlou," he said, tapping his brother's cheek to wake him up, "Wrenlou, open your eyes. Look at me, come on..."

Wrenlou coughed, spitting up some water. Hiccup pulled him closer, running a hand through his damp hair.

"You're ice cold," he whispered, pulling the cloak from his shoulders, "and soaked... and where's Snow? What happened? Who attacked you?" he asked eyed the cut leather cord that had been around his wrists.

"H...Hiccup..." Wrenlou mumbled, "s...so c...cold..."

"I know..." Hiccup said and he stood, lifting Wrenlou in his arms, "I'll get you back to Berk right away. Toothless! Give me a hand bud."

The dragon came closer and laid down in the sand, allowing Hiccup to get into the saddle easily, Wrenlou still in his arms.

"Hiccup..." Wrenlou mumbled, shivering violently.

"Shh... don't speak now," Hiccup said, clicking his prosthetic in place, "We'll get you back to Berk and warmed up in no time. Then you can tell me what happened. Go Toothless, fly as fast as you can."

Toothless shot into the sky, heading for Berk. Hiccup pulled the cloak a little tighter around Wrenlou, holding him in his arms and close to his chest. Neither of them saw the small boat that just rounded the island as they flew away from it.

They reached Berk in no time, and as soon as Toothless landed Hiccup was shouting for a healer. Astrid was the first to reach them, running as fast as she could.

"Hiccup? What happened?" she asked worriedly, "did they crash?"

"No, they were attacked," Hiccup said, "unless the waves tied him up."

"Tied him up?" Astrid asked, "really?"

"Yes, he was," Hiccup replied, searching the crowd for Aminda and her girls, "and I found no sign of Snowflake what so ever. Whatever attacked them must have taken her."

"Gods..." Astrid whispered, "are you serious?"

"Yes," Hiccup said, meeting her eyes, "unfortunately I am. Astrid, I want you to call a meeting. Find my dad, get everyone in the Great Hall. As soon as I know what happened I'll come there as well, and we can devise a plan of action."

Astrid nodded and stood up. Just then Aminda broke through the crowd, gasping when she saw Wrenlou, still unconscious in Hiccup's arms.

"Bring him," she said simply, and Hiccup nodded, following her to the healer's hut. "You can put him down there," she pointed to a bed and clapped her hands, "girls! We have a patient! Hiccup, what happened?"

"I don't know," Hiccup said, "I know that he's been in the water, possibly all night. I think he's hypothermic."

"Alright, we have to warm him up then," Aminda said, turning to her apprentices, "girls, you heard him. Now what's the first thing we have to do in a case of hypothermia?"

"Make him warm again?" one of the girls offered, but another shook her head.

"He's been in the water," she said, "so the first thing to do would be to get his clothes off and get him dry."

"Correct!" Aminda said, "you, get me a stack of blankets. You two get him out of those wet clothes."

The girls didn't move, hesitant.

"Well?" Aminda asked, crossing her arms, "what's the problem? Never seen a naked man before?"

"Not when he's a colleague..." the youngest of the two mumbled.

Aminda knelt in front of her, taking her hands. "Right now that doesn't matter," she said, "right now he needs our help, do you understand?"

The girls nodded and quickly went over to Wrenlou, removing his clothes and wrapping him in blankets to get him warm. Aminda stoked up the fire, quickly filling the house with a warm glow Hiccup watched worriedly, standing at the door, waiting for Aminda to come fetch him. It took a while, but then she came towards him, looking tired.

"How is he?" Hiccup asked, standing up from the chair he had sat down in.

"He's awake," she said, "and asking for you. You best go to him, he seems terribly upset."

Hiccup nodded and quickly walked over to the bed where Wrenlou was, still wrapped in a pile of blankets. He knelt next to it, stroking Wrenlou's cheek and he opened his eyes, looking at him.

"What happened?" Hiccup asked, "who attacked you?"

"Hiccup..." Wrenlou mumbled, "Hiccup, it was Eret."

Hiccup frowned. "Eret?" he asked, "Eret...?"

"Yes, you remember, right?" Wrenlou asked as he pushed himself into a sitting position, "Eret, son of Eret, dragon trapper? He took our dragons a few years ago. We got them back with help from my uncle."

"That Eret!?" Hiccup blurted out, "really?"

Wrenlou nodded. "He's been after us since we freed the dragons," he said, "he shot us down last night. He took Snow and pushed me overboard, hoping that I'd drown."

"The Scauldron saved you?" Hiccup asked, but it was more of a statement then a question.

Wrenlou nodded again. "She brought me to shore. But Hiccup, he has Snow..."

"I know," Hiccup said and he stood, "and I'll bring her back myself."

"No!" Wrenlou practically screamed, grabbing Hiccup's wrists, "you can't! Don't you see? He tried to kill me to draw you and Toothless out. He wants both Night Furies. He works for some guy... Dargo... Drago Bloody Fist or something, I don't know, but he wants both dragons. That's why Eret has been after us. Those Night Furies are his way to freedom. He brought him Snow so he probably bought himself some time to get Toothless as well. You can't go out, he'll take Toothless... you can't let that happen... please..."

Hiccup looked down at Wrenlou's desperate and pleading face and nodded slowly. "Alright, I won't. I'll send out patrols to find the ship, and then we'll see what we'll do, how's that?"

"As long as you keep Toothless here," Wrenlou said, "he can't get both of them. He can't... oh gods... my poor girl..."

"Hey... shh..." Hiccup said, sitting down again and wrapping his arm around Wrenlou's shoulders, "we'll find her, okay? I have one more question. Where were you when you were attacked?"

"Just south of Dragon Island I believe," Wrenlou said, "but I can't be sure."

"Alright," Hiccup said, "I need to address the people, we'll need to get their help. You stay here and warm up again, alright? I'll come back soon."

"Okay..." Wrenlou whispered.

Hiccup stood up and left the hut, quickly walking over to the Great Hall. He stepped into chaos, everyone shouting and yelling, and he sighed. He had to push to the crowd to get to his father, and when he was there, Stoick silenced the entire hall with a single shout.

"I must learn how to do that," Hiccup mumbled to himself before turned his attention to the people in front of him.

"You may already know," he started, "that Wrenlou was attacked last night. He was attacked by dragon trappers, and they took Snowflake. I have reason to believe that they'll come back for Toothless, but I plan to stop them before they can. I need volunteers for a patrol, we need to find that ship before they take more dragons!"

A shout rose from the crowd, and several hands shot into the air, all people willing to go look for the trappers ship.

"Alright," Hiccup said, opening his map, "Wrenlou says he was just south of Dragon Island when they attacked, that's where you'll start. Now keep in mind that these are dragon TRAPPERS. Meaning they have means to fend of an assault. So of you see the ship, do not engage, I repeat, DO NOT ENGAGE. Come back here, and we'll work out a plan of attack. Gustav, I want you to lead the patrol. See how many there are and divide them into even groups, split up, but stay close together. And I know I've said it before, but I'll say it again, do not engage them. These men are dangerous, and they won't hesitate to kill you to take your dragon. I don't want anymore casualties. Understand?"

"Yes sir!" Gustav said cheerfully, and he saluted, "I will not let you down!"

"Thank you Gustav," Hiccup smiled, "I knew I could count on you."

"Why don't you go!" someone shouted and Hiccup sighed.

"I told you already!" he shouted back, "they're after Toothless as well. We can't let him fall into their hands as well. Believe me, I would be the first to go if I could, because this man hurt my brother. And no one touches my brother."

"Come on you bunch of fools!" Gustav shouted, "to your dragons everyone! Lets find this ship!"

Hiccup watched as the Hall emptied out, the Vikings gathering weapons and shouting for dragons. Then he turned to his father, sighing deeply.

"Dad, we might as well get the fleet ready as well," he said, "we can't engage this ship with dragons."

"The ships will be ready son," Stoick said, "I will see to it myself. When the patrol gets back, we'll take these trappers down."

"Bring them here," Hiccup said, laying a hand on his fathers arm, "I would like a word. Maybe they'll tell us what happened to Snowflake, if they don't have her on board anymore."

Stoick nodded and left the Hall as well. Not long after they could hear his thundering voice shouting orders at whoever was left behind.

"How's Wrenlou?" Astrid asked softly.

"Well, all things considered," Hiccup said softly, "he doesn't appear to be hurt in anyway, but he did just lose his dragon. He raised her Astrid, from the moment she hatched..."

"It has to be hard..."Astrid said softly, "I should apologize to him... after all, this is all my fault."

"Your fault?" Hiccup asked surprised, "this isn't your fault. Why would you say that?"

"I pushed him about his scars," Astrid said, "and that's the reason he went flying, isn't it?"

""It's not your fault," Hiccup said, taking her arm, "it's not anyone's fault. Except maybe the trappers. Come, lets go see Wrenlou."

Astrid nodded and together they walked back to the healers hut. Halfway there they encountered Toothless, the dragon jumping and bouncing, nudging Hiccup to go flying with him.

"Not today bud," Hiccup said softly, "it's too dangerous. Someone's after you, and they already took Snowflake. I have to protect you."

Toothless whined but followed Hiccup, curling up outside the door, since he wasn't allowed inside. Wrenlou was where they left him, still wrapped in blankets, but he was now holding a bowl of hot soup.

"Hey there," Hiccup said and he sat down again, "I'm back. I've sent out patrol groups, Gustav is leading them. If this Eret character shows his face, we'll find him."

"Thank you," Wrenlou said softly.

"How are you?" Hiccup asked concerned.

"Better," Wrenlou said and he looked up, "I'd be even better if I had some clothes though."

"We'll get you some in a moment," Hiccup smiled, "listen, is there anything else you remember. Anything, anything at all."

"No, sorry," Wrenlou said, "I already told you everything I know."

"Alright, doesn't matter," Hiccup said and he stood, "we'll find Eret, and Snowflake. I'll get you some clothes, okay? Be right back."

Wrenlou nodded and Hiccup left, leaving him alone with Astrid.

"Listen, Wrenlou," she started after a short moment of silence, "I'm sorry. Really. I didn't mean for any of this to happen."

"It's fine Astrid," Wrenlou said, "it's not your fault. I shouldn't... shouldn't have overreacted. It's all my fault... I didn't even fight... I just let them take her..."

Astrid reached out and put her hand on Wrenlou's, meeting his eyes. "This," she said, "is not your fault. They overwhelmed you, attacked you, shot you out of the sky. There was nothing you could have done. But we'll find her, I know we will. Just... don't give up, okay? Don't give up."

Wrenlou nodded and smiled weakly. "Thanks Astrid," he said, "I appreciate it."

"If you want to borrow Stormfly to go looking for her yourself," Astrid said, "I don't mind. And I'm sure Stormfly won't either."

"I don't think I could ride another dragon," Wrenlou mumbled.

"Understandable," Astrid said, "but the offer stands."

"Thanks," Wrenlou said and he looked up at her, "you're sweet."

"Here," Hiccup said, depositing a pile of clothes on a nearby chair, "get warmed up, get dressed and meet me in the Great Hall, alright?"

Wrenlou nodded and looks at Hiccup. "Thanks... for saving my life."

"That's what brothers are for," Hiccup said, "now come on, we have a plan to devise, we can use your help."

"I'll be there," Wrenlou said.

"Lets take these trappers down," Hiccup said, "as soon as the patrol comes back that is. But once they do, Eret and his crew won't know what hit him, and we'll get Snowflake back, just you wait. She'll be home in no time."


	11. How to Trap a Trapper

_Hi... guys... sorry for not updating for like a month...but there are a few good reasons._

 _First of all, I busted a finger while walking a dog. Now that may sound weird or stupid, but the dog in question is a rather large Alaskan Malamute with much more strength than I have, and I while I was taking him on his walk, he met another dog, got rather excited and pulled the leash from my hand. The problem was that I was still holding it with my other hand so guess what happens... yes, I call it leash burn and it HURT! Anyway, it kinda skinned the part of my finger where it bends, so it wouldn't bend. Now is this also the finger that won't straighten completely, so you can imagine how that went. It's healed now, all I can do now is hope my finger will go back to normal._

 _Second, anyone over the age of 18 may know this problem. Wisdom teeth. Nasty fuckers who cause problems wherever they go, and in my case they go the wrong way. So that's a dentists appointment I'm not looking forward to.._

 _Okay, that's enough about me and my hurts. Again. sorry for not updating, crappy title is crappy, but I hope you enjoy this sorta weird chapter anyway. It took me a month to write it. Stupid finger. I'll try to get back on the weekly updates._

 _Enjoy!_

 **Chapter 11. How to Trap a Trapper**

"Anything yet?" Wrenlou asked, joining Hiccup on the docks.

"Not yet," Hiccup answered, "but they haven't been gone for long. I really hope they won't attack though... they'll get captured for sure."

"I just hope they find that damn ship," Wrenlou growled, "and Eret. I'll kill him."

"Hold off on that," Hiccup said, placing a hand on Wrenlou's shoulder, "we might need him."

"Need him for what!" Wrenlou asked, "we find him, bring his ship here, get Snow out and kill him!"

"What if she isn't on the ship?" Hiccup asked, "what he already brought her to this... Drago character? Then we need Eret to lead us there."

Wrenlou looked down and sighed. "I guess you're right..." he mumbled.

"Hiccup?" Stoick said, coming up behind them, "the ships are ready, are you coming?"

Hiccup nodded and looked at Wrenlou. "We're going out to search for Eret as well. I want you to stay here. No, don't argue. You almost drowned and you lost your dragon you don't have your emotions under control. I want to do this right. Besides, someone needs to stay with Astrid."

"Fine..." Wrenlou groaned, crossing his arms.

"Thank you," Hiccup said, and he turned around, bumping into Toothless. The dragon crooned, rubbing his head against Hiccup's legs.

"I'm sorry bud... you can't come either," Hiccup said softly, "it's too dangerous, I can't risk Eret getting his hands on you."

Toothless whined, unwilling to accept the fact that he couldn't come and ran after Hiccup, nudging his back. Hiccup sighed and kneeled in front of the dragon.

"Look, bud," he started, "believe me when I say that I wish you could come, but it's too dangerous. This man is after you, and I believe he'll stop at nothing to get his hands on you. And when that happens we are lost, and we'll likely never find Snowflake. So just stay here, with Wrenlou, and I'll be back okay? I promise."

Toothless whined but stepped back. He joined Wrenlou, standing next to him as Hiccup boarded Berk's flagship.

"They'll be back," Wrenlou said, as the ships set sail, one after another disappearing in the distance, "you'll see."

"They better," Astrid said, coming up next to Wrenlou, "I'll kill him if he doesn't."

0-0-0-0-0-0

"Sir? Those dragons won't leave, they're still circling up there."

"So?" Eret growled, looking up from his map, "dragons do not concern me, as long as that blasted Night Fury isn't among them. Is it?"

"No sir, I haven't seen it yet."

"Surely you aren't afraid of a pack of wild dragons, are you?" Eret asked and he turned around, "we deal with dragons every day, why would these be different?"

"T... they're not, sir," the man stammered, "they just won't leave... and I think they have riders."

"WHAT!?" Eret shouted, "and you're telling me this NOW!? They have been there for HOURS!"

"I'm sorry sir..." the man mumbled, stepping back.

"You imbecile!" Eret yelled, shoving the man aside, "get ready to take those dragons down! I'm sure Drago would be interested in hearing what their riders have to say."

"Eh... sir...?" another man said nervously.

"WHAT!" Eret shouted as he turned around, glaring at the man, "more dragons!?"

"No sir, ships," the man said, "a whole fleet. Over there."

Eret looked at the direction the man was pointing in, seeing the many ships approaching. He frowned, walking closer to the railing of the ship, trying to get a good look at the ships.

"Vikings...?" he mumbled, "what would they want from us...? aren't the vikings at war with the dragons?"

"Last I heard sir," a man on his right nodded, "there were rumors that some small island somewhere way up north made peace with the dragons, but as far as I know that has never been confirmed."

Eret glanced at the dragons still circling above them, out of range from the bola's. "I think it's been confirmed," he growls, "lets get ready men. Those ships may or may not be on our side."

The men nodded and quickly took positions, readying nets and bola launchers. Eret kept a close eye on the ships, watching them as they got closer. The first ship, the biggest one came at them the fastest. The others stayed behind a little, but if that was intentional or not he didn't know. He focused his attention on the first ship, trying to assess it's strengths and weaknesses. The man he assumed was the Chief was standing on the bow, his arms crossed. Streaks of grey wove through his fiery red beard and hair, and he had a scowl on his face that would send any other man running for safety. But Eret was used to dealing with Drago, and no matter how scary this man seemed, Drago was a thousand times worse.

"Greetings!" he said, trying to be cheerful, "what brings you to these fine parts?"

"Spare me your pleasantries Eret," the man growled, "we're here for one thing only."

"Do I know you...?" Eret said with a frown, "I do not believe we've met before."

"You haven't," another voice spoke up, "but we have. Remember me, Eret?"

Eret's eyes widened as he saw the young man that had stepped up. In an instant he recognized the freckles, the brown hair, the green eyes.

"You hurt my friend," Hiccup snarled, "and you stole his dragon. I want her back."

"I... I don't have her anymore," Eret said, quietly gesturing to his men to get ready, "you're too late. You were too late to save your friend and now you failed again."

Hiccup's eyes darkened, and he gripped a sword. Eret smirked a little and turned to the Chief.

"Did you know that this man is a friend of the dragons?" he asked, "he and his friend even ride them!"

"Oh I know," the man said, "in fact, he was the one that brought peace to as all. The dragons are our allies, and our friends."

Eret stepped back, shocked by this revelation. He glanced at the dragons, still circling in the sky.

"Yes," Hiccup said, "those are our people. They found you and told us where you were. And you will pay for what you did to Wrenlou."

"It's too late," Eret said, trying to maintain his confident posture, "the Night Fury is gone. She belongs to Drago now. You might as well consider her dead, just as her rider!"

"This isn't over yet," Hiccup growled, and before Eret could respond a fireball exploded the main mast of the ship, splinters flying all over the place.

The Vikings shouted and the dragons dove, roaring, their riders cheering.

"Fire!" Eret shouted, running over the deck, "take them down!"

One of the bola launchers exploded before it could be deployed, but another fired and wrapped itself around one of the Monstrous Nightmares. The dragon screeched and plummeted into the water, it's rider struggling to cut the ropes. Eret kept an eye on Hiccup, waiting for the second Night Fury to come out, but the black beast never showed itself.

The Vikings boarded the ship, swarming over it's deck like a swarm of angry ants.

"Search the ship!" one of the men shouted, "bring any dragons you can find up here!"

The dragon they had shot down howled and shot from the water. Unable to use it's ability to flame up because of the cold sea water, it instead landed on the ship, tearing the sails apart. The other dragons, the ones that could still use fire, kept firing at the ship and into the water next to it. Eret drew his sword, swirling around and finding Hiccup there, a sword in his hand.

"You will pay for what you did!" Hiccup yelled, swinging the sword at Eret, "you can be sure of that!"

"You don't have the guts to kill me boy," Eret spat back, easily blocking Hiccup's blow, glaring at him.

"Kill you?" Hiccup said, "I'm not going to kill you. Your life isn't mine to take."

He retaliated with surprising strength, driving Eret away from his men and onto his own ship, where he was quickly surrounded by Vikings.

"Give up Eret," Hiccup said, pointing his sword at the man's throat, "you've got nowhere left to run."

Looking at his ship Eret realized that the boy was right. The mast was broken, the sails torn, the deck was scorched with dragon fire, all his men had been disarmed and were now on their knees, a Viking tying their hands. He sighed deeply, lowering his sword and turning to the Chief. The man looked at him with a dark look on his face, and with a single nod he felt how the sword was ripped from his hand, his wrists forcefully tied together. Before he could say anything, the man in front of him grabbed his shirt, lifting him into the air.

"You've made a big mistake Eret son of Eret," he growled, "you've hurt one of my sons, and you will pay for that."

"Son?" Eret said frowning and he glanced at Hiccup, "you mean the other rider? He's not your son... he looks nothing like you!"

"Keep your ignorant talk to yourself!" Hiccup snapped, "no one wants to hear it! Wrenlou is my brother!"

"Take them below deck," Stoick growled and he threw Eret down, "and set course for home. Hiccup, tell Gustav to take the riders back!"

"On it dad!" Hiccup shouted and he disappeared from Eret's field of vision.

Stoick nodded, quite pleased with how it had turned out. The message that Eret's ship had been found arrived not long after they had set sail, and it hadn't taken long for them to get there, Gustav's dragon riders keeping a watchful eye on the trapper's ship. They had easily overpowered them, with only minor injuries on both sides, even if he wanted to rip Eret's heart out of his chest for what he had done, and had planned to do.

He looked at the trappers ship, some flames still lapping around the wooded deck, then at the men that had searched it. They shook their heads solemnly, indicating they had found no dragons on board. Stoick sighed and ordered one of the smaller ships to extinguish the fire and tow it back to Berk. They did so reluctantly, not quite understanding why, but not about to go against their Chief.

0-0-0-0-0

Eret sighed deeply, trapped in the dark underbelly of the Viking ship. He couldn't see anything, but he could feel the ship dance over the waves, and eventually come to a stop. The hatch opened, bleak sunlight pouring it, but it still stung his eyes. He struggled, but was dragged outside and pushed off the ship, his men close behind him. His eyes were still adjusting to the light and he was looking around, so he never saw it coming, but there was suddenly a shriek, and a fist collided with his face.

"Son of a bitch! I'll kill you, you good for nothing jerk!"

Eret stumbled back, but as soon as he regained his footing he looked up, furious, blood dripping from a broken nose. He stared straight into Wrenlou's wild eyes, the man being restrained by Hiccup who had wrapped his arms around his chest to keep him away from Eret.

"You!" Eret gasped, "but you're dead!"

"Guess again!" Wrenlou yelled, struggling against Hiccup's grip, "bet you didn't know that I had more than one dragon friend huh. Where's Snowflake. Where is she!"

"She's gone!" Eret spat back, a smug grin on his face, "you're too late!"

Wrenlou's expression went from anger to horror in a matter of seconds, and Eret smirked more.

"She belongs to Drago now," he said tauntingly, "so you better forget she ever existed!"

"You're lying..." Wrenlou whispered, "you're lying! Tell me he's lying..."

"I'm sorry Wren," Hiccup said, "we didn't find her. She's not on board."

Wrenlou seemed to deflate as he slumped on the ground, choking back a few sobs. Eret kept smirking, but Wrenlou looked up at him with fire in his eyes.

"I'll still kill you," he growled, "the moment they're through with you, I'll kill you. And believe me it won't be pleasant for you."

Eret opened his mouth to respond but was pulled away. His men were brought to Berk's stone prison, but Eret was brought to the Hall, where the majority of the Vikings had already gathered, booing as he walked in.

"We'll find her," Hiccup mumbled, helping Wrenlou back to his feet, "we will. Now come on, I have a few things to say to Eret."

Wrenlou nodded and straightened his shirt. He wiped a few stray tears from his face and cracked his neck, a look of determination on his face. Hiccup smiled and turned, heading for the Hall, Wrenlou close behind.


	12. The Plan

_Soooo... I'm not dead... Sorry for the wait guys. Remember my wisdom tooth? Yeah... so do I... it's gone now, so that's good, but my mouth still hurts. And I was away last weekend, so I couldn't write. Anyways, here's the next chapter. Little shorter, but you can blame my tooth for that._

Enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 12. The Plan**

"So what exactly did you want to say to Eret that was so important?" Wrenlou asked as Hiccup pushed the door to the Great Hall open, "and why can't you just say it to him in prison? Why bring him here?"

"You ask a lot of questions," Hiccup said, turning to him, "you'll see what I have planned soon enough."

"Hey! This is MY dragon we're talking about! You would be the same way if it had been Toothless and you know it!"

Hiccup sighed and nodded a little. "I know. And I'm not trying to sabotage anything. I want to find her just as much as you do, believe me. I just might have the way to do it, and it involves Eret. Just trust me on this one, okay? It'll make sense soon enough."

"You know I trust you..." Wrenlou mumbled, "I just... I've been on edge the last few days... not knowing where she is... or what's been done to her... I... it's killing me... I don't even know if she's hurt! If they feed her... o..or lock her up..."

"I know it's hard," Hiccup said, "really I do. And we'll find her. I promise you we will. Now, are you coming? Your place is next to me..."

"I prefer to stay here," Wrenlou said, looking at his boots, "I can't look at him and see that smug grin."

"That smug grin will be wiped from his face," Hiccup said, "believe me, it will. What I have to say will shock him I'm sure. Stay close okay Toothless? I don't want you out of my sight as long as those dragon hunters are on Berk."

The dragon crooned and followed Hiccup as he walked to his seat at the table, next to his father, who was already there, waiting for him. Astrid sat on his other side, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm glad you're back in one piece," she said softly, "really."

"Me too," Hiccup said, "it was easier then I expected. They were equipped for a dragon attack, not for a fleet of ships. That was our luck I guess."

She smiled a little and turned to the door, just as it opened and Stoick came in, followed by two guards who were dragging Eret between them. The man was struggling, snarling insults, and the vikings growled insults in return. Stoick took his place beside Hiccup, the guards holding Eret in front of the table, a firm grip on his shoulders preventing him from running away.

"What do you want from me huh!?" he growled, "the Night Fury is gone! You'll never get her back."

"My son has something to say to you," Stoick said darkly, ignoring Eret's words, "Hiccup?"

"Thanks dad," Hiccup said, and he stood up, "when I was talking to your men, one of them told me something very interesting. Do you know what he said?"

"Who cares," Eret growls.

"I do," Hiccup said, "you see, he told me that you have a week to find Toothless," he gestured to the black dragon next to Astrid, "and bring him to your boss, this... Drago Bludvist."

"And?" Eret said, looking up as fear crept into his eyes, "what's that to you?"

"Oh everything," Hiccup said, smiling a little, "we could give you a fair trial... judge you, sentence you, carry out that sentence... but really... what good would that do? It doesn't bring Snowflake back, but do you know what will?"

"I don't care, okay!?" Eret yelled, struggling again, "nothing you do will make a difference! Drago will come for all your dragons, and he'll take them! Every single one of them! Including the Night Fury."

"I'll kill ye before I let ye take mah dragon!" someone in the crowd cried out.

"Yeah! These are our dragons and no one will take them!" another joined in.

"He will come!" Eret yelled, trying to turn to the crowd, "no one can escape him! He'll attack this island! He has dragons, he controls them somehow, okay? You won't stand a chance!"

"Then we'll defend it!" a woman yelled.

"We've defended it against dragons for three hundred years! We can do it again!"

"Yeah! And now we have dragons helping us!"

"It won't save you!" Eret yelled back, "you have to believe me! You don't know him like I do! He kills everyone that resists him, or stands in his way!" He suddenly spotted Wrenlou in the crowd. "You better hope that dragon of yours does what he tells her to, or he'll kill her too!"

Wrenlou didn't say anything, he just slowly approached Eret, his eyes dark.

"You know that isn't true, "he said, "why else would he have you pursue us for years. She's too valuable to kill and you know it. But of she's harmed in any way, I'll be sure to make you pay for what you did."

"You can't win this war," Eret said, "just give me the Night Fury and he'll leave you alone."

"You think we're stupid?" Hiccup said, as soon as the outraged cried from the crowd died down, "he won't leave us alone and you know it. We'll be a threat as long as we have dragons. So it won't make a difference if we give you what you want or not. So we won't. But back to my point... you have a week do deliver Toothless, correct?"

"So?" Eret mumbled, "what of it? Doesn't matter now does it? My ship's destroyed, I'm your prisoner. Who cares how long we have."

"Oh I do," Hiccup said, glancing at Wrenlou, "you see, we'll keep you here for a week. In that time we'll fix your ship, treat any injuries, and after that, you're free to go."

The crowd exploded. Outraged cries and shouts filled the air and Hiccup groaned, glancing at Wrenlou again, who was watching with a shocked expression. Eret was also staring at him, shocked. He waited a little, but the people showed no signs of calming down.

"SHUT IT!" he yelled, and it was instantly quit, "listen to me! Don't you get it? He'll have to go back to Drago empty handed, and he'll lead us directly there. We can attack Drago before he can attack us, and we can take Snowflake back at the same time!"

Mumbles and whispers arose, as the people started to understand what Hiccup was planning. Eret stared at him.

"You can't do that!" he blurted out, "he'll kill me!"

"That's hardly my problem," Hiccup said, "you have a choice here. You either go back to Drago, or you run. But there's nowhere in the world where you can hide from us. Believe me, I've looked. We'll find you, and when we do, we'll feed you to the dragons. You understand?"

"He'll kill me!" Eret yelled again, pulling against his captors, "can you live with that?"

"Easily," Hiccup said, "you've crossed us once, and we let you go. Clearly that was a mistake. One I intend on setting right. You better hope Snowflake is unharmed, or you'll be glad we gave you to Drago."

"There's nothing you can do that's worse than anything he can do!" Eret yelled, "he's already branded me, what would you do!"

"Branding is nothing!" Hiccup shouted, "I'm a blacksmith, do you know how many times I've burned myself? A burn is nothing compared to some things people have come up with. Wicked, evil ways to hurt one another, or execute another human being. I've been all over the world. I've seen both the light and the dark side of different cultures. I never thought I'd say this, but the Romans taught me a thing or two on how to kill people. Or I could always bloodeagle you... I'm sure you've heard of that, right?"

All the colour had drained from Eret's face as he looked up at Hiccup, who looked back coldly.

"I'm not usually one for revenge, or even holding a grudge against some one, but you..." he jabbed a finger at Eret, "you dared to hurt my brother. You dared to take his dragon. You dared to threaten all of us, and now you will pay for it. Get him out of my sight."

The guards nodded and dragged the struggling, screaming man out of the Great Hall. Most of the people of Berk followed, shouting insults and profanities at the trapper as he was escorted to the prison. Hiccup sighed deeply as the Hall emptied out, leaving him, Astrid and Stoick, as well as Wrenlou. The last came over, crossing his arms.

"I refuse to wait a week before I go looking for Snowflake!" he exclaimed, staring at Hiccup.

"You don't have to," Hiccup said, getting up and walking around the table, "we'll go tomorrow. You and me."

Wrenlou looked down. "How... I don't have a dragon..."

"Hmm..." Hiccup said, pondering, "you know Honeycomb?"

"What, the Nadder?" Wrenlou asked, and Hiccup nodded, "what about her?"

"She's friends with everyone," Hiccup said, "she won't bond to anyone specific for some reason. So it's save to take her with us, and she won't make a problem out of it when Snowflake is back."

Wrenlou sighed deeply, nodding a little.

"Don't we have a say in the matter?" Astrid asked, approaching with Stoick at her side.

"Astrid... dad... look.." Hiccup started, but Stoick raised a hand and silenced him.

"I know what you want to say Hiccup," he said, "and to be honest I don't want to let you two go. But I also know that I won't be able to stop you, correct?"

"Damn right," Wrenlou said, "I won't rest until I've found her."

Stoick nodded. "Be careful then. Don't get caught, please."

"And come back alive," Astrid said, stepping up to Hiccup, "I would say I'm coming with you... but.."

"You're not," Hiccup said, taking her hands, "I can't risk it. You're seven months pregnant love, it's too dangerous. I can't lose you or the baby."

She nodded. "I thought you might say that. I'll keep an eye on the trappers then, and make sure their ship gets fixed. I can't imagine that there will be many people who want to do that."

"They won't have much choice," Hiccup said, "there'w two things we can do, and that's sit here and wait until this man and his supposed fleet come here and attack us, or find him and destroy him before he can. In my opinion waiting is the worst we can do. We have to find him, and Eret can help us with that."

"Yes, so you've said," Astrid said, walking with him to the plaza, "but what if he runs? What if he turns on you and doesn't go back to Drago?"

Hiccup sighed deeply, running a hand through his hair. "I admit that could be a problem. But hey, we have a week to come up with a solution, right?"

"I suppose that's true," she said with a smile, one hand on his arm, "so what's next? You and Wrenlou get ready for the search? Where will you start?"

"I think the best thing we can do is to go back to where he was shot down," Hiccup said, "the ship was sailing north, so we'll go north from there. Who knows what we'll find. Even if it's just the smallest trace of Drago I'll be happy. At least we'll know that this men does exist..."

"What do you mean?" she asked, "do you doubt Eret?"

"Of course I doubt him," he answered, "he's a dragon trapper. I want confirmation that Drago Bludvist is a living, breathing man, and not someone Eret came up with to hide the fact that he already killed Snowflake." He glanced at Wrenlou, who was talking with Stoick a ways away. "It would kill him if she turned out to be dead. In this case it's preferable that she's a captive somewhere, even if it's in the lair of a dragon trapper, because it means she's still alive, and can be rescued."

"I just hope she's okay," Astrid said, "she's such a gentle creature."

Hiccup nodded, sighing deeply. "I have to go check Toothless' gear," he said, kissing her cheek, "just to make sure everything is working right. I'll see you tonight, okay?"

"You better," she said with a smile, "I'll come find you if you're not home by midnight."

He smiled at her and walked off, on his way to the forge. Wrenlou joined him not long after, his face grim and his eyes still dark with anger.


	13. Honeycomb

_Hey guys,_

 _Sorry for the long wait, and the shorter chapter. I've been quite busy lately. I am baby sitting a puppy, very active, lots of energy, wants to play, you know the kind. And secondly... I have been working on my trip to Alaska. Yes guys, I'm going to Alaska on August fifth. I'm so excited and scared at the same time, you wouldn't believe it. I will try to upload at least one more chapter before I leave, I should be able to do that, but I don't know how it will go once I'm there. My friend, the one I will be visiting, has a ton of awesome stuff planned, but she's also a diehard fan of the stories, so I'm sure she'll make me w rite more when I'm there._

 _Anyway, that's the reason for the long wait... and the short chapter... I'm kinda tired... it's late at the moment of posting, for me anyway. Next chapter will be longer, hopefully, and will be uploaded somewhere next week. Promise! So stay tuned!_

 _Enjoy!_

* * *

 **Chapter 13. Honeycomb**

"Wren? Where are you?" Hiccup asked almost hesitantly while he walked into the stables.

He looked around, the usual hustle of dragons, excited to stretch their wings, fighting over food and other things, demanding attention from the riders that were present. Any other day he would have smiled at the sigh of the two heads of a Zippleback fighting over a fish, but now he couldn't help the worry that was creeping into his heart. If they failed, all of this would be gone. The thought scared him more than anything.

He looked around, searching for the one person he hadn't seen since last night. He eventually found him, standing outside one of the pens, staring at the small Nadder asleep inside it.

"Hey," Hiccup said softly, joining his brother, "are you ready?"

"I don't know..." Wrenlou mumbled, "I feel like a traitor."

"It'll be okay," Hiccup said, "really. Snow won't mind.. we're coming to save her! And as I said, Honeycomb is a friend of everybody, she won't mind that you won't be around."

"I feel like I'm using her..." Wrenlou said, looking at the honey coloured dragon in front of him.

"You're not," Hiccup reassured him, "she's happy to help. Watch."

He called the dragon's name and she instantly perked up, looking at him with her amber eyes. He called her over, his hand stretched towards her and she stood, stretching her wings before sauntering over ans sniffing his hand. She seemed a little disappointed when she didn't find a fish, but she looked at him curiously.

"Do you want to help us?" Hiccup asked, and the dragon cocked her head, "you see, one of our friends has been kidnapped by an evil man and we need your help."

"I doubt she understands you..." Wrenlou mumbled, "Nadders aren't as smart as Night Furies."

"They're smart enough," Hiccup said, rubbing the dragon's nose, "and she understands. Grab her saddle and get her ready. Meet me on the plaza in ten minutes okay? I want to leave as soon as possible."

Wrenlou nodded, taking a deep breath before turning back to the dragon. "Alright... I can do this... it's easy, right?"

Hiccup didn't answer, he was halfway out the door already, but the dragon boobed his hand, looking for fish.

"Promise to be nice okay?" Wrenlou asked while he brought her some, then started to strap the saddle to her back.

"I'm not that familiar with Nadders..." he said, opening the door and letting the dragon out, "never rode one before, so I really have no idea how it goes. I'm used to a Night Fury..."

He stopped walking, looking at the ground, sighing deeply. The dragon came up behind him, chortling curiously.

"I really hope we find her..." he said while he started walking again, "I miss her so much. It just hurts. It's like... half my heart is gone you know? Yeah... didn't think you would."

He sighs again, walking towards the plaza, the Nadder in tow, happily chirping and just glad to be out again. Hiccup was there, Toothless behind him, waiting patiently.

"...And here's some food for on the way," Astrid said, "don't worry, I didn't cook it. I'm still working on my skills and I don't want you to get sick while searching for her."

"It's okay Astrid," Hiccup said smiling, taking the bag from her, "I'll do the cooking in the relationship okay? You do the fighting."

She smiled a little and nodded. "You don't want me to do the fighting..." she said with a faint smile.

"Not now," Hiccup chuckled, "when the baby is born of course."

She nodded and kissed his cheek. "Be careful, okay? I want my future husband and father of my baby to be safe."

"I will be okay," Hiccup promised, "really. We'll come back. With Snow."

The people around the plaza cheered and Hiccup looked at Wrenlou. "Ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," Wrenlou said, looking at the Nadder, "any tips...?" he asked Astrid, knowing she had experience with Nadders.

"Not really..." she said, pondering his question, "I mean, Honeycomb is pretty docile for a Nadder. But if she gets agitated, chicken will do the trick. And she loves to have her tail spines smoothed, so just. keep that in mind."

He nods a little. "Thanks Astrid."

"No problem," she said, "just find that dragon of yours okay? She needs to be home as soon as possible."

"I agree," Hiccup said, already on Toothless' back, adjusting something, "so lets go."

He nodded and looked at Honeycomb. The Nadder chirped and padded over, tilting her neck.

"Here goes nothing..." he mumbled, grabbing the saddle and pulling himself into it, "okay... this is strange..."

"We'll start slow, until you're used to it," Hiccup said, "and Nadders are naturally slower then Night Furies anyway, so we will be slower no matter what."

"Yeah..." Wrenlou said, looking at he ground, "higher too... and wider..."

Hiccup didn't answer, but nudged Toothless and the dragon spread his wings. He flew up quickly, hovering over the roofs of Berk. Wrenlou sighed and nudged Honeycomb. The Nadder chirped excitedly and flew up as well, her rider clinging into the saddle.

"Will you be okay?" Hiccup asked, concerned, seeing Wrenlou's face.

"Yeah..." he answered, nodding, "it's not her... it's just... I feel like I'm betraying Snowflake..."

"I know. But she'll understand," Hiccup said, "now come on, lets start at Dragon Island."

Wrenlou nodded, steering the Nadder in the right direction. Honeycomb was gentle and she complied immediately, turning around and waiting for Hiccup to follow.

"Watch out for trappers!" Astrid shouted from below.

"We will!" Hiccup shouted back.

"And wild dragons!"

"Hiccup will train them!" Wrenlou shouted at her, "we'll be fine!"

Hiccup chuckled a little. "I can't train every dragon we meet..."

"I know... " Wrenlou said, "just... making her feel better..."

"Don't get hurt!" Astrid shouted, "or captured!"

"We won't, Astrid. Stop worrying!" Hiccup shouted back, steering Toothless towards the sea, "come on Wren, before she thinks of more things to say."

"She has the right to be worried..." Wrenlou said, steering Honeycomb after Toothless, "you're the father of her child and her future husband. And the next Chief of Berk. Lots of things would go bad should you die or something."

"I know," he said with a sigh, "believe me I do. And I don't want to worry her..." He looks back at the now disappearing village. "But she knows me... like you do. I always find trouble no matter where I go. I mean, not to long ago Toothless and I went flying and encountered a thunderstorm... remember that?"

"Of course I do," Wrenlou groaned, "don't mention that."

"It just got her on edge I think,"Hiccup said, "the whole trapper thing I mean. It puts all of us at risk, all our friends... the new found peace between us and the dragons.. Drago could destroy it all."

"I know..." Wrenlou said, "all too well..."

"We'll find her," Hiccup said, determination in his voice, "and we'll kill Drago. He's a threat to the whole archipelago, we can't let him live."

"You know how I feel about him," Wrenlou growled, "I don't care if he lives or dies. I'll even kill him myself if I have to."

"I know," Hiccup said, "but we'll have to find him first. Eret went North did he not? After he took Snow?"

"I believe so, yes." Wrenlou said, "it was hard to see and I was trying not to drown, but it did seem like North."

"North... what could be North from here besides more ice..." Hiccup mumbled thoughtfully, "hmm... Maybe he's hiding on one of the icy islands. I don't see the appeal of that though... he'd be freezing all the time."

"Maybe that's what he wants," Wrenlou said, "cold does make most dragons slower, and more docile, right?"

"That is true..." Hiccup said, "maybe this man is smarter and more dangerous then we think..."

"I just want Snow back," Wrenlou said, "that's all. Drago can freeze to death for all I care."

"Lets go get her," Hiccup said, his face determined, "North we go."

0-0-0-0-0-0

The moment he opened the door he heard the white dragon howl. A smirk crept onto his face. The dragoness had been resisting him fiercely, as the burn marks on the inside of the cage and his singed beard showed, but he knew she wouldn't be able to hold on much longer. He knew she was hungry, since he hadn't fed her since she had arrived, using it as yet another way to break her.

She growled racing towards him the moment she spotted him, but was yanked back by the chain secured around her neck. She growled again, her nails scratching the floor, deep marks where she had done it before. He circled her, enjoying her struggle.

"You are mine now," he said threateningly, "forget your rider. He is dead... long gone... he won't safe you."

Her only answer was a growl, and a hiss as she tried to fire a plasma blast at him. He smirked when she failed, the muzzle preventing her from doing much harm.

"You are mine..." he said, "mine. You hear me?"

The white dragon glared at him, her blue and green eyes dark with hatred.

"You can't resist me... you can't resist my Alpha... you belong to me... TO ME!"

She shrunk back at the yelled words, her earflaps flat against her head and her pupils narrowed. He chuckled again, pulling out a fish. Her nose flared and her pupils widened a bit as she came a few steps closer.

"I know you're hungry... aren't you?" he said with a smirk, dangling it in front of her face, "I know you are."

She growled, trying to get the fish but unable to since it was just out of her reach, and the muzzel prevented her from opening her mouth.

"You can have it if you do what I say," he said, "simple as that. Submit to me and you'll be fed. No sooner."

Snowflake growled defiantly and turned her back on him. He smirked.

"Don't think this is the only way I can make you hurt, dragon," he growled lowly, "there are many methods of breaking a beast like you..."

She snarled at him, her tail lashing. He simply smirked more and dropped the fish, just out of reach of the chain.

"I'll see you tomorrow..." he said, his tone sweet but his eyes dark as coal, "sleep well.."


	14. Unexpected Discovery

_Hi guys!_

 _Sorry for not updating earlier. Internet has been wacky and mean and it keeps quitting. So. Bad internet. Behave or I'll spank you. Anyway, here's another chapter. Next week this time I'll be in Alaska. *squeals* Ad you might have guessed I am major nervous... but my best friend is waiting on the other side, so I know it'll be okay. I'll try to update sometime next week, and if I fail to do so, my next update will be from beautiful Alaska! I love you all, take care! See you next time!_

 _Enjoy!_

* * *

 **Chapter 14. Unexpected discovery**

Wrenlou sighed, looking up at the sky. It was the third day of their search, and they had come no closer to finding even the smallest trace of Drago. They had found one of his trappers, spotting the ship anchored just off shore from one of the smaller islands. They had been following it for a day, thinking it might lead them to Drago, but had found it went the wrong direction, and had no dragons on board what so ever.

So they had abandoned that idea, and went the opposite direction. They quickly picked up a trail on another small island, a path of destructing and a destroyed camp with several broken cages and burned tents. After following that trail it went cold as well, so now they were on the beach, the dragons curled up and sleeping, their small tents pitched, a fire burning.

"Hiccup? What are we going to do when we find Drago?"

"What do you mean?" Hiccup asked, looking at him, "we'll get Snowflake back, what else?"

"Yeah, but, what if that Eret guy is right?" Wrenlou asked, "you know, what if Drago has an army? A huge fleet? Dragons in armour? Soldiers? You know, all that? That could be a major problem. I mean, they're after Toothless. Just flying in will give them exactly what they want."

Hiccup frowned, staring into the flames of their small fire. He poked one of the logs that rolled out of the flames, pushing it back in, and sighed deeply.

"An army will be a problem.. and a whole armada an even bigger one..." he said, "maybe... if that's what we find... we have to turn back and go home, warning Berk and preparing for battle instead."

"And leave her!?" Wrenlou blurted out, both dragons looking up, "I'm not leaving her!"

"Wren..." Hiccup said softly, "we may not have a choice... As you said, if Drago has an army, what can we do? We can't let him get Toothless as well."

Wrenlou looked down, not answering. Hiccup sighed and moved next to him, wrapping an arm around his shoulders.

"We'll get her back," he reassured Wrenlou, "one way or another, we'll get her back."

"He could be torturing her..." Wrenlou whispered, "o...or starving her... or doing gods know what... what if he turns her against me... what if he makes her hate me.."

"Wren, listen to me," Hiccup said, lifting his head with a finger, "Snow would never turn on you, nor would she ever hate you, okay? That just won't happen, no way. And if he is torturing her... well, then we'll make him pay won't we? Give him a taste of his own medicine. See how he likes it when there's dragons out to kill you. If he really has a dragon army, like Eret claims, then you can bet your life those dragons are forced to fight for him. I don't know how he does that... but we'll find out, alright?"

Wrenlou nods a little. Hiccup smiles weakly and pours some more wine in to his cup, before giving it to him.

"Chin up my friend," he said, "I won't rest until I've found her, and I won't rest until Drago has gotten what he deserves, which is horrible awful death. And you know I don't say that lightly... I generally don't wish death on anyone... not even that jerk Dagur the Deranged.."

"Dagur the who?" Wrenlou asked, "is he another enemy we have to worry about?"

"Hardly," Hiccup said, "well... maybe... Dagur is Chief of the Berserkers. We have a peace treaty, but it's... on shaky ground. But believe me, Dagur is a nobody compared to Drago. He doesn't have an armada, and he certainly doesn't have a dragon army."

Wrenlou nods again, staring in the flames.

"Come on," Hiccup said, standing up and walking over to his tent, "try to get some sleep. Tomorrow is another day. And if we can't find him, Eret will lead us there."

"What if he doesn't?" Wrenlou asked, standing as well, "what if he goes somewhere else to save his sorry ass?"

"Then he'll regret that decision for the rest of his short and miserable life," Hiccup grumbled, because I'll find him, and I'll have his head as a trophy on my wall."

"And what if he leads us to Drago?" Wrenlou asked, "what happens then?"

"If he survives Drago's torture or whatever he'll do to him, then I'm inclined to let him live," Hiccup said, turning to face Wrenlou, "are you okay with that?"

Wrenlou sighed deeply. "I don't know yet..." he said softly, "he is the cause of all this... but if he helps get her back... I don't know. Maybe I can forgive him, if she isn't hurt."

"Fair enough," Hiccup said, putting sand on the fire to kill the flames, "we'll have to see what he does. But for now, we still have a few days left to search, so lets make the best of it."

Wrenlou nodded, glancing at the Nadder, curled up peacefully. Hiccup cast a glance at the sky and groaned.

"Something wrong?" Wrenlou asked, looking up as well.

"We might get snow tonight," Hiccup said, "I saw the clouds during the day a ways back, but now they're here. We're getting further north."

"Will they be okay?" Wrenlou asked, gesturing to the dragons, "there's not much shelter for them here..."

"They'll be okay for the night," Hiccup said, "if it really starts snowing we'll find a more sheltered spot tomorrow. Now, go get some sleep, okay?"

Wrenlou nodded and crawled into the tent. Hiccup did the same, staring at the sky for a while. The dark clouds he had seen earlier had blocked out every last bit of moonlight and hidden the stars. Even if it wasn't going to snow, it promised to be a cold night.

0-0-0-0-0-0

When they woke up the next morning, they found that Hiccup's prediction had come true. The ground was covered in a thick layer of snow that came up to their ankles. Both Toothless and Honeycomb had curled up tightly and close together, seemingly not bothered by the snow at all, their internal fire keeping them warm. Hiccup shivered as he looked around at the white landscape, the sparse trees bowing under the weight of the white layer of frost.

"It's cold..." Wrenlou said, digging through the saddlebag for his cloak, "I'm freezing."

"Good thing we came prepared," Hiccup said, pulling his own cloak from his saddlebag, "come on, lets pack up and get going. There's no time to lose, and no reason to stay here any longer."

Wrenlou agreed with that, quickly packing up the tent, which was harder than it sounded with gloves on, but it wasn't long before both of them had their tents packed, and were on the way.

"How are we ever going to find him with all this snow and ice..." Wrenlou said, looking down on the frozen ocean, "I mean...we can't follow his trappers... they'll be stuck in the ice!"

"And yet Eret delivered her there," Hiccup said, "so there has to be a way. A path where the ice is broken, or just absent. And if Drago is coming towards Berk, he has to be able to move..."

"Why does he even hang out in this icy place," Wrenlou said shivering, "how do humans survive in this much cold. It's impossible."

"He must have been born around here," Hiccup said, "it's the only reason I can think of. This far north, there are not much people who can survive. Winters are an endless dark, summer is always light... living here is harsh."

"No kidding..." Wrenlou said, looking at the white landscape all around. The thick layer of ice on the ocean had broken into several large pieces that were just floating around. Huge, jagged ice bergs were jotting up from the sea, and they felt incredibly small while they flew between the ice giants.

"They are huge..." Wrenlou said, "I've never seen ice bergs this huge..."

"Neither have I," Hiccup said, looking at the giants chunks of ice, "I've never been this far north. But this may explain why Drago choose to hide here... look."

He pointed down towards the water. Several shipwrecks were visible, the wooden boats splintered against the hard chunks of ice.

"It must be incredibly dangerous to navigate these waters," Hiccup said, "especially in winter when the sea is frozen solid. A simple wooden ship won't get through."

"Then... how do the trappers get to him?" Wrenlou asked, "their boat is made from wood."

"Maybe there's another route," Hiccup pondered, "one with less ice."

"Maybe..." Wrenlou mumbled, eyeing the landscape around him.

The massive ice bergs were shimmering in the sunlight, the snow covering the tops glistening like a thousand tiny crystals. The sound of the drifting ice echoed eerily, the wrecks of the ships twisted by the force of the ice.

"Wren! Watch out!"

The sudden shout jolted him from his thoughts and the Nadder swerved sharply, narrowly avoiding the crumbling ice that came from one of the ice bergs, the giant chunks plunging in the water below.

"That was too close..." Wrenlou said, watching the ice plummet towards the water, "thanks Hiccup."

"We best stay away from them as best we can," Hiccup said, "they are dangerous. That's why most those ships sunk I reckon. They had no chance in this icy maze..."

He nodded a little, steering away from the ice bergs, and they flew in silence for a while. Occasionally chunks of ice would break from the floating giants, causing massive splashes and waves that rocked everything around them, the ice bergs swaying and hitting each other, causing more ice to break off and fall into the water below.

It seemed like they were the only colour in the white landscape around them, until there was a flash of purple between two of the icy sea stacks. They immediately looked at each other, and set chase to the purple flash. It turned out to be a dragon, one they had never seen before. It was fast, swerving between the ice spikes with practiced ease, and they almost lost it at one point.

But then there was a flash of yellow on their left, and a second dragon appeared between the ice, flying in the same direction as the purple one. And as they watched a green one joined them, and a blue one, and a lighter purple one, and before they knew it, they were in the middle of a massive flock.

"Do you think these could be Drago's dragons...?" Wrenlou asked, studying a Monstrous Nightmare on his right.

"I don't know..." Hiccup said, "they don't look like it. Where's the armour Eret talked about? And why would he let them fly free like this?"

"No idea," Wrenlou said, "this one has scars though... as does that one... and over there... in fact, most of them have scars."

"You're right," Hiccup said, almost shocked as he saw how the Hobblegrunt on his left had a blind eye and a nasty scar down its neck, "looks like the work of trappers."

"So... do we follow them?"

Hiccup nodded. "Yes. Let's follow them. Even if they don't lead us to Drago, they'll surely give us a clue. Someone or something set them free from traps, and took care of their injuries."

Wrenlou nodded and they followed the flock for a good hour, before they saw a giant crown of ice appear in the distance. The dragons flew towards it, and, although there was no apparent entrance, started to disappear into the mountain of ice and it's giant crown.

"Come on," Hiccup said, determined, "lets go."

"Are you sure...?" Wrenlou asked, holding Honeycomb back, "Drago isn't in there I'm sure of that..."

"No, but maybe whoever helped them is," Hiccup said, steering Toothless towards an opening, hidden between ice spikes.

"What makes you think they'll help us?" Wrenlou asked, following.

"We're friends of dragons too," Hiccup said, "that's one thing we have in common, don't you think? Now come on, lets see what all these uninviting ice spikes are all about."

"Alright," Wrenlou said, following Hiccup and Toothless, "I hope you know what you're doing."

"I hope so too..." Hiccup mumbled as they entered a dark and narrow tunnel.

The dragons zipped past them, the flutter of wings, the sound of nails on the ice and the chirping and chatter of dragons surrounded them from all sides. There was only one way they could go, so they kept following the stream of dragons. The tunnel seemed endless,, winding and twisting it's way into the mountain. And then they suddenly exited into a large cavelike dome, where dragon's swarmed in a giant flock, the ones they had followed in joining them. The sound was deafening, the many dragons chirping and crooning together.

"Oh my gods..." Hiccup gasped staring at the massive flock, "I've never seen so many different dragons in one place... all these species... it's amazing..."

"It's beautiful," Wrenlou agreed.

"This is fascinating!" Hiccup said excitedly, slipping to the ground, "do you know what this means? These dragons would normally never mingle if they had the chance... someone brought them here, into this giant flock... and I don't think it was Drago..."

"Why not? Why would he not use this as a gathering place or something?" Wrenlou asked, slipping to the ground as well.

"From what I've heard it would never be this serene if Drago had his hands on it," Hiccup said with a grimace, "that leaves the question, who created all this, and why."

"It's like... a sanctuary," Wrenlou said, walking to the edge and looking down into the crystal clear waters below, "a sanctuary for dragons."

Hiccup nodded in agreement. "All this green..." he mumbled, plucking a leave from a plant to study it, "in the middle of a mountain of ice... unbelievable. Absolutely incredible."

"Something, or someone is controlling this flock," Wrenlou said, "and everything around us."

"But how," Hiccup said, frantically making notes, "and why. Why bring them together like this. Why here."

"An army against Drago?" Wrenlou opted while he walked to one of the caves on the right, "maybe someone is planning the same thing we are... get rid of Drago... and what better way to fight a dragon army than with a bigger dragon army. Or maybe they just want to keep them from him, to stop his army from growing."

"Possible, certainly possible," Hiccup mumbled, distracted by a bone on the ground.

He didn't see how Wrenlou stood frozen, staring into one of the small caves.

"Eh... Hiccup? You're gonna want to see this..."

"Yes... I'm coming..." Hiccup said, not really listening, moving away from Wrenlou.

"Hiccup, you REALLY want to see this," Wrenlou urged, "right now."

This time Hiccup looked up. He frowned a little and got up, wiping some dust of his knees before walking over. The moment his eyes fell on the contents of the cave, he froze as well.

"Someone is living here!?"


	15. King of the Beasts

_Hello there folks! Sorry to keep you waiting, but Alaska is so awesome... I've done a ton of stuff already, and there's still more to do! Anyway, here's the next chapter. I'm not sure when the next one will be, but keep your eyes open! It will definitely come!_

 _Enjoy!_

* * *

 **Chapter 15. King of Beasts**

They stared silently at the cave. It was clear that someone had been living there. There was a pile of furs ob the left, used as bedding. There were bowls and cups strewn around, some broken, others still with frozen liquid inside. The back wall was covered in marks and drawings, and there even was a make shift shelf with several books and journals. A few tools were laid upon a flat rock, a knife, a few needles for sewing, and a hook, used for an unknown purpose. On the side opposite of the bed they saw a round shield, painted with red and yellow and blue, a strange helmet with dragon like horns, a red cape in a pile on the floor and next to all that, a staff with two curved ends.

"This is..." Wrenlou started, searching for the right word.

"Strange? Weird? Unexpected?" Hiccup offered.

"All those... and more..." Wrenlou said, "I mean... someone has been LIVING here... among all these dragons. I mean, Berk now has dragons, but this looks like, one man and a shit load of dragons... how does someone do that?"

"I don't know..." Hiccup said, slowly walking in, examining the things left in the cave, "I really don't." He picked up the staff, startled when it rattled and he almost dropped it. "Okay... don't touch..."

"Who do you suppose it is?" Wrenlou said, following him, "and more important... are they on our side, and are they still here..."

Hiccup was immediately on guard, his hand going to Inferno strapped to his leg. He looked around, moving in slow circles, eventually shaking his head.

"I don't think anyone has been here for quite some time," he said, "look. Everything is covered in dust and ripe. If it was still lived in, it would be clean."

Wrenlou nodded and relaxed, picking up one of the books and flipping through it.

"Looks like whoever it was has been working on another Dragon Manual," he said, "everything from Gronckles to... something with four wings called Cloudjumper and... Bewilderbeasts?"

"Really?" Hiccup said, his interest peaked, "let me see that..."

He almost pulled the book from Wrenlou's hands, a few pages ripping loose and floating to the ground. Hiccup doesn't seem to notice, his face practically pressed against the book.

Bewilderbeast... amazing... I've heard about them... I never actually saw one... absolutely magnificent... look at this Wren, look at this amazing creature."

"I know, but..."

"And this! A Stormcutter! Four wings..." he muttered to himself.

"Very interesting, but..."

"This book is a marvelous collection!" Hiccup said, not even hearing him, "and there are many more!"

"Yes, but..."

"We made an amazing discovery Wren," Hiccup said, picking up one of the journals, "we need to keep this information secure and safe! This can definitely not fall in the hands of Drago... I mean, what if he gets his filthy hands on a Bewilderbeast? We would all be toast..."

"Hiccup..."

He looked up from the journal. "Yes?"

"What about Snow? We were looking for her... remember?" Wrenlou said almost pleadingly.

"I know," Hiccup said, smiling reassuringly, "I won't forget I promise. But I do think we have to examine this find. It may lead us somewhere. Maybe this... vigilante dragon rider or whatever he was knew of Drago, and has useful information on his whereabouts."

Wrenlou sighed deeply, looking down.

"Just an hour," Hiccup said, "please? Just an hour... then we'll go and find Snow, okay? I promise."

Wrenlou nodded a little. "One hour."

Hiccup nodded and sat down, gathering the books around him. Wrenlou watched him for a while, then turned around.

"I'll be... over there somewhere," he said, vaguely pointing behind him, "if you need me."

Hiccup merely nodded, already caught up in the texts. Wrenlou sighed and walked out of the cave, looking around. The bustle of dragons was still going strong, the seemingly endless flurry of wings and colours shooting past him as he walked along the edge. He looked around, searching for the amber coloured Nadder, finding her flying among the thousands of dragons. He called out to her, the Nadder coming over and landing in front of him, chirping excitedly.

"I know you're excited, but stay close, okay?" he said, "that goes for you too Toothless. Stay where Hiccup can see you."

Toothless crooned and padded over to the cave, curling up in front of it, keeping an eye on Hiccup. Wrenlou smiled a little and turned around, looking at the massive cave.

"Okay... so... who lives here..." he mumbled to himself, "besides the dragons that is... a human. But who... and why..."

He walked to the edge, looking at the water below. There was a waterfall not far from where he was standing, and another one a little further away. He suddenly spotted what looked like a giant ice berg in the water, and frowned, looking around at the green plants surrounding him, covering almost every surface in the cave. When he looked back he realized it wasn't an ice berg at all and he gasped, stepping back.

"Hiccup! You have to see this!"

"What is it?" Hiccup asked, walking over with one of the books in his hand, Toothless close behind, "oh... gods..."

The ice berg was in reality a massive white dragon, its gigantic head crowned with spikes, to absolutely enormous tusks on either side of its face that created massive waves as it lifted its head out of the water and turned to look at them. Toothless growled a little, his wings flared to make himself look bigger, and Honeycomb had her tail up, ready to shoot spikes at the strange dragon.

"Any ideas..." Wrenlou asked, glancing at Hiccup.

"Sorry what?" Hiccup asked, unable to tear his gaze away from the giant dragon in front of them.

"I asked if you had any ideas," Wrenlou asked again.

"About what?" Hiccup said, finally looking back.

"About that!" Wrenlou hissed, gesturing to the dragon, "what is it. Is it evil. Does it want to kill us. Anything!"

"I... would say it's on our side..." Hiccup said, pointing to both their dragons, who had lost their menacing stance, and were instead bowing to it, "and I would say it's some sort of Alpha... hang on."

He flipped through the book he was holding, cursed a little and ran back to the cave, only to come back with another one.

"Here it is." He showed Wrenlou the page. "It's called a Bewilderbeast, and it's the ultimate Alpha. The Titan Wing would have bowed to this dragon. It protects it's subjects, in caves like this," he gestures to the structure around them, "which it creates with its icy breath. Wow... this thing breathes ice instead of fire? That is so cool!"

"So... is it friendly?" Wrenlou asked, backing away as the Bewilderbeast brought its head closer.

"I think it is..." Hiccup said, closing the book, "I mean... we won't hurt it. Or the dragons it protects. And he allowed a human to live here, for quite some time. And our dragons seem okay with it."

They looked at the dragon, Toothless and Honeycomb now sitting calmly. A small group of baby dragons came racing by, tumbling over each other, hardly having control of their wings. A few of them bumped against the Bewilderbeast's massive head, but it calmly blew them away as if they were nothing more than flies. The babies squealed and raced off, playing in the air.

"It's beautiful," Wrenlou said, staring at the dragon.

Hiccup nodded in agreement, the book slipping from his hand as they stepped closer to the edge. As the dragon brought it's head closer, they both bowed, as they had seen the dragons do, and the Bewilderbeast let out a small breath that surrounded them for a few seconds. When it faded away they looked at each other, and realized that their hair had been covered in frost. Hiccup chuckled, ruffling his hair to get the ice out, and after Wrenlou did the same, they turned back to the dragon. It looked back at them with kind, ice blue eyes, and Hiccup dipped his head.

"You have my thanks, noble king," he spoke softly, "I can promise you that we will bring no harm to those you protect."

The Bewilderbeast dipped it's head and turned away, returning to his previous position, his head resting in the water. They stood there for a while, not quite believing what had happened.

"Wow..." Hiccup eventually said, breaking the silence between them, "that was..."

"Intense? Scary? Amazing? Unsuspected?" Wrenlou offered.

"All of those," Hiccup answered, picking the book from the ground, "now come on, lets see what else we can find in this place. I'll get to these books later... All the information... it's so wonderful!"

Wrenlou nodded a little, looking down. Hiccup's smile faded when he caught his expression, and he put a hand on his shoulder.

"Come on, lets see what we can find that can help us find Snowflake," he said, "Toothless! Honeycomb! Stay close okay? I don't want you two to get lost."

The dragons crooned and ran over, staying behind them as they walked around the cave. They saw several tunnels, each branching out in different directions after a few hundred feet.

"This place is bigger then I thought," Hiccup said as they were walking through the umpteenth tunnel, "and these look like Whispering Death tunnels. Most of them, anyway... this one is way too big to be from a Whispering Death..."

"Look, it opens up," Wrenlou said, lifting his torch to illuminate the cave ahead.

Hiccup nodded and they slowly walked into the cave. Wrenlou gasped, pushing Hiccup against the wall as the ground suddenly opened up in front of them.

"Wow..." Hiccup said, staring down in the darkness below, "how deep do you think that is?"

"I don't know," Wrenlou said, "and I don't want to find out."

"There's light, over there," Hiccup said, pointing at the other side, where a faint, flickering light could be seen, "so there has to be a way across."

"Over there," Wrenlou said, gesturing to his left, "there's a bridge."

"Come on," Hiccup said, carefully moving along the small ledge they were on, "watch your step. It's slippery."

"Can't we just fly across..." Wrenlou said, gesturing to the dragons.

"You know the tunned is to small to spread their wings," Hiccup said, "and we don't know what's back there. For all we know Drago is waiting there, and we'd be handing Toothless to him just like that. We can't risk it. They'll have to wait here."

Toothless whined at that, looking at his rider with big round eyes. Honeycomb just chirped, curling up, seemingly contend with waiting. Toothless kept whining, nudging Hiccup's hand.

"We'll be back buddy, I promise," he said softly, "just wait here okay? Don't go anywhere."

Toothless nodded reluctantly and curled up against the Nadder's side. Hiccup nodded and turned to the small bridge, not much more than a small slab of stone. They carefully moved to the other side, setting one foot in front of the other. When they finally reached the other side, they breathed in relief and looked back across, seeing the dragons watch their every move.

"Alright," Hiccup said, "lets see what this light is about. But be careful, okay?"

"You be careful," Wrenlou shot back, "you're the accident prone one here."

Hiccup grumbled a little and walked towards the light, Wrenlou close behind. The light was flickering, like it was from a fire, but instead of being orange it was more green in colour. The tunnel they were in was wide, big enough for a large dragon to walk through, and now they could hear water splashing on the rocks.

The cave they walked into was medium sized. The light came from many flickering glow worms, covering most of the wall and the ceiling. The water they heard was a waterfall, flowing from the rock into a small pool below. There was moss growing around the pool, and on the walls, as well as ice covering other parts, giving the whole cave a serene and peaceful, but strange look. There was one thing that looked like it didn't belong in the cave, and that was the dragon that was curled up in it. They stood, frozen at the entrance of the cave.

"Is it... sleeping?" Wrenlou asked.

"No..." Hiccup said, moving closer, letting the light of his torch fall on the dragon's flank, "I think it's... dead..."

"Dead...?" Wrenlou asked, surprised, "are you sure?"

"Pretty sure," Hiccup said, placing a hand on the dragon's hind leg, "it's ice cold... not breathing. It may have been here for quite some time. It looks like the strange temperature in this room preserved it perfectly."

"What kind of species is it? Do you know?"

"It has four wings..." Hiccup said, "wide tailflaps... owl like face. I'd say it's a Stormcutter."

"Wait..." Wrenlou said, "didn't you read about a dragon with four wings named Cloudjumper?"

"I did..." Hiccup said, "he was a Stormcutter... I read that later. What, you don't think that...this..."

Wrenlou shrugs a little, walking around the dragon, studying it. He picked a scale from the ground, groaning a little when Hiccup snatched it from his hands. He walked towards the dragon's head, kneeling in front of it, studying its face. The dragon's eyes were closed, his head tucked against its chest, resting on its front legs. When he moved closer he saw something between the dragonhead and its chest. He moved the torch, letting the light fall on what ever it was, but recoiled in shock once it became clear.

"Hiccup," he gasped, "there's... a person... in this dragon's arms..."

"What?" Hiccup asked, rushing over, "are you sure?"

"Look..."

Wrenlou moves his torch again, illuminating the hand he had seen before. Hiccup gasped, trying to move the dragon's massive head to get the person out.

"Come on! Give me a hand!" he yelled at Wrenlou, still trying to lift the dragon's head.

They managed to lift its head, Hiccup pulling the body out. They now saw that it was a woman dressed in a simple green tunic and brown pants. She was barefoot, her right hand clenched around something. She had long brown hair braided in a single braid.

"She's dead too... isn't she," Hiccup said softly, looking at the woman's face.

Wrenlou nodded a little, pulling his hand away from her neck. "Sorry..."

"Why. I don't know her," Hiccup said, "is she the one who has been living here?"

"I guess so," Wrenlou said, "they have probably been here for a while, as you said, and there was frost covering everything in the other cave we found."

"Strange place for a woman to live..." Hiccup mumbled, "what do you think killed her?"

"Someone bashed her skull in," Wrenlou said, pointing to the frozen blood in the woman's hair, "and with quite some force. There was a lot of rage behind her death."

"She must have had a bond with the dragon," Hiccup said, looking at the Stormcutter, "he must have brought her home..."

Wrenlou nodded solemnly. "Come on... lets get her back where she belongs..."

Hiccup nodded and together they moved her back into the dragon's arms, leaving the pair just as they found them. Before they left Hiccup pried her hand open and found a large metal key.

"That's not from anything around here," Wrenlou said, and Hiccup shook his head.

"We'll figure it out. Lets get back to the dragons shall we? We'll leave those two in peace. We can always come back for them later."

"I wonder what happened though," Wrenlou said, looking back, "who could have been so mad to kill er in such a way."

"I don't know," Hiccup said, "maybe her journals will shed more light on it. Or... maybe it was Drago... we've seen quite some dragons with scares here haven't we? She might have rescued them from Drago, so he killed her."

"Maybe..." Wrenlou said, "but that only makes me want to find Snow as soon as possible..."

"We'll find her," Hiccup said, "just wait and see. I won't let you end up like her. I'll kill Drago before I'll let him lay a finger on you, or anyone else. Now lets get back to the other cave, and see what we can find."

Wrenlou nodded and followed him, looking back one last time, the glowing green light slowly fading into the darkness.


	16. Mistakes

_Hello dear people  
I have returned from my trip to Alaska, and being there and doing stuff was the reason for not updating, for those who were wondering. I've used this week to catch up on some sleep, because jetlags are killer. The trip itself was absolutely fantastic. Alaska is the most beautiful place on earth, and nothing can convince me otherwise. Unless someone has found Berk, then I am willing to reconsider that statement._

 _Anyway, here's the next chapter for you guys! I'm hoping I'll be able to update more often now that I'm back, so stay tuned!_

 _Enjoy!_

* * *

 **Chapter 16. Mistakes**

"Hiccup?" Wrenlou asked, walking into the cave where Hiccup was sitting on the bed, the books all around him, "can we please go and find Snowflake..."

"Just a second," Hiccup said, not looking up from the journal he was reading, "I just want to finish this one."

"You said that an hour ago!" Wrenlou complained, "come on! We went out to find my dragon, not read some dead lady's private journals!"

"These could contain important information about Drago," Hiccup said, "I've already learned that he has many ships working for him."

"But," Wrenlou started, but Hiccup cut him off.

"Wren, please," he said, his voice sounding impatient, "I am almost done here. I just need a few more hours. If you want to find Snowflake, go find her. Stop bothering me."

Wrenlou's eyes darkened and a scowl crept onto his face.

"Fine," he growled, "I will."

Before Hiccup could respond Wrenlou had turned around and left the cave. Hiccup looked up a little, wondering if he should go after him, but eventually decided against it. Wrenlou could take care of himself. He continued reading the journal, this one detailing the rescue if a Snaptrapper.

When he looked up he saw to his surprise that it was starting to get dark outside. He looked around, a small stream of golden sunlight in the cave now the only light.

"Oh gods..." he whispered when he realised what he had said hours before, "Wrenlou!"

He dropped the book and ran out, looking around frantically. He didn't see his brother anywhere, and Honeycomb was nowhere to be found.

"This is bad," he mumbled, "this is very, very bad. Toothless!"

The dragon looked up from where he was perched on the ledge and lazily got up, stretching his wings and paws before jumping down and sauntering over to his rider. Hiccup checked the saddle and tail fin, as he always did and jumped on.

"We have to find Wrenlou bud," he said, tapping Toothless' neck, "I've been incredibly rude and mean to him... God's, I hope he's okay."

Toothless crooned and they shot into the sky. After they had circled the enormous cave to make sure Wrenlou wasn't there, they flew back into the winding tunnel that led them outside. The endless icy tunnel seemed to go on forever, but eventually they flew into the light of the setting sun. As Toothless sped away, Hiccup looked back to the spiked ice fort and the secrets it held within.

"I'll be back..." he mumbled, "when all this is over, I'll be back."

Toothless roared, as if he was saying goodbye as well, and all of a sudden dragons started flying from every opening. The massive flock of hundreds of different species of dragons danced through the air, diving towards the water. Their icy home quickly disappeared in the distance as they flew away.

"I hope we'll find him..." he said softly, "if we're even going the right way... he could have gone anywhere... although North is the most logical place." He sighed, looking down. "I should never have been so mean to him. He's lost Snow, and now I'm being a jerk focusing on books while I promised to help..."

He shook his head, trying to get rid of the guilt, but he couldn't. They flew for hours, the blackness of night now surrounding them, the stars as faint pinpricks above. The moon was a small sickle in the sky, barely visible.

"We'll never find him like this," he sighed, "it's too dark. He could have landed for the night somewhere. We could have passed him. We could have gone the wrong way and we might not even be close! Toothless why'd you let me be so stupid?"

The dragon growled a little and Hiccup sighed, running a hand over his face. It wasn't long before the sun started to rise, a bleak light in the distance far away. He sighed, realizing he had flown all night without finding Wrenlou.

"We must have passed them," he mumbled, "we must have. There's no way he could have gotten this far, not on a Nadder."

Toothless crooned softly, his ears twitching nervously. Hiccup frowned, looking around for anything that could have his dragon anxious, but there was nothing but ice and water, stretching for miles and miles.

"What is it bud..." he whispered, "what do you hear..."

As they flew Toothless grew more and more restless, swerving from side to side, whining, his ears twitching. And it wasn't long before Hiccup heard what Toothless had heard. Voices on the water, the creaking of ships, crashing of waves against wooden hulls and oars, flapping of flags and sails in the strong wind. He also heard roars which could only come from dragons and the clanging of metal on metal. As they rounded a massive piece of ice they saw it. Drago's massive fleet. He immediately pulled Toothless back to the ice and they landed on it, creeping towards the edge to look at the ships below.

There were many different sizes of ships, the smaller ones situated near the edge of the fleet, most of them looking the same as Eret's ship. The ships near the center of the mass were larger, and when he looked closer he saw that at the center was a truly massive ship. It was huge, covered in metal but somehow stayed afloat. Next to this enormous ship was a strange pool of bubbles that continuously rose to the surface.

As he watched more and more became clear. He now saw the dragons on the decks of the larger ships, chained and harnessed to pulley systems and other contraptions. He was too far away to really see it, but he knew that the dragons were trapped there. The smaller ships closer to the edge of the circle had cages with dragons on their decks, and those were the dragons roaring, banging the bars, trying to escape.

"Come on bud..." he said, "lets get a little closer..."

He jumped down to a lower ledge, Toothless following and staying down as much as possible to avoid being seen. He now saw that the enslaved dragons followed orders almost lifelessly, their scaled dull and broken. Much to his relief he didn't see Snowflake among any of the dragons, but with that relief also came fear. She could be anywhere. She could be dead.

It was clear that Drago's army was bigger than any of them had thought. Thousands of men moved over the decks of the ships, stepping from ship to ship easily since they were so tightly bunched together. The cages with the dragons were taken from the trapper's ships to one of the larger ships and lowered into the hold. They then came back empty and were returned to the trappers, who ten let again, another ship taking their place, the dragons unloaded.

"This is horrible..." he said softly, "look at all the dragons Toothless... captured.. forced to fight... or work... this is... this is just horrible."

Toothless crooned his agreement, his ears still nervously twitching at the sounds of the many dragons. Hiccup watched sadly, wanting to leave but unable to do so, hoping, fearing he would catch a glimpse of glistening white scales, somewhere. But instead he found another dragon he didn't expect to see. Trotting along on a chain, not in a cage like the others, but walking behind the man like a dog on a leash, was Honeycomb.

As soon as he realised what this meant his blood ran cold, and his eyes flew over the many people looking for the one he hoped wasn't there. But he found him, not far behind Honeycomb, held tight by two men. Before he fully realized what he was doing he had jumped into the saddle and Toothless was racing towards the fleet, a purple blast of fire splintering the deck of the ship, sending men and dragons tumbling. He turned faster than lightning and sped back to the ship, just as Wrenlou and the men were scrambling to get back up. The blast had also broken the chain holding Honeycomb, but the Nadder made no move to go, and just watched the commotion.

"Night Fury!" one of the trappers shouted and the call quickly spread through the whole fleet, where Drago himself would undoubtedly hear it too, "don't let it escape!"

"Hiccup!" Wrenlou screamed, finally getting back to his feet, "Go! Get out of here!"

"Not without you!" Hiccup screamed back, pushing Toothless into a dive.

He had to suddenly swerve sharply, narrowly avoiding the nets and bola's that were shot at them, many trappers determined to bring them down and earn their freedom.

"Go!" Wrenlou screamed again, kicking one of the trappers in the stomach, "you can't let them catch you! Warn Berk!"

Hiccup bit his lip, torn between running and warning his family, and staying to save his friend. Toothless had to swerve and dive to avoid the nets and bola's, and he deep down he knew that of he tried to save Wrenlou, they would surely be caught as well.

"Wrenlou," he screamed down, desperately trying to get to him, "Wren!"

Wrenlou looked up at him, mouthing a silent "I'll be fine" just before he was tackled by a trapper and pinned down. Having no other choice Hiccup pulled Toothless away, looking back with tremendous guilt as they sped away from the ships. They narrowly avoided getting tangles in one of the nets shot after them.

"I'm sorry Wren..." he mumbles as the ships disappeared from view, "I'm so sorry... please hang on..."

He watched them go, the back speck disappearing quickly, many of the ships already following them. He knew he had been stupid, leaving on his own like that, and then instead of following the ship blindly attacking it in a sudden fit of rage. Of course they had been captured, but Honeycomb didn't seem to realise that they were prisoners, and that the men meant harm. The man gripped his arm tighter and he glared at him defiantly, ready to kick him in the groin when a thundering voice rang out over the ship and he gulped. That had to be Drago.

"Where is my Night Fury!?" the voice demanded to know, heavy footsteps coming his way.

"It... escaped... sir..." the nervous leader of the trappers said, "but we did catch this one sir! A dragon rider!"

Wrenlou stumbled when he was yanked forward, almost falling to his knees. A hand kept him from falling and when he looked up at the man in front of him, he couldn't help but gulp. The man was tall, much taller than he was. His face was twisted in an angry scowl, multiple scars criss crossing over it. His thick black hair hung around his face in thick strands, his beard kept in large wooden beads. Around his shoulders hung a black cloak, clearly made from dragon skin. The man's dark eyes were filled with hatred as he leaned down and brought his face close to Wrenlou's.

"Dragon rider you say..." he growled, his voice gruff, "you are forgiven this time Ríkharđur, but next time I won't be so forgiving... now get me that Night Fury! At once!"

"You'll never catch him," Wrenlou growled, "he's too fast!"

Drago reacted lightning fast, grabbing Wrenlou's throat and pulling him up.

"You," he hissed, "you will tell me where he's going."

"Don't... think so..." Wrenlou choked out, and Drago tightened his grip.

"I will find him," he growled, "and when I do, you can watch me kill him and take his dragon! Mutt!"

He threw Wrenlou to the deck where he landed, coughing and gasping for air. He looked up at Drago, the man paying him no more attention. A man he presumed was Mutt came walking towards them, looking at his master, waiting for orders.

"Take him to my ship," Drago said, "below deck, you know where. Then send scouts out in all directions. I must find this Night Fury as soon as possible. I am so close to breaking the other one..."

"Snowflake!" Wrenlou screamed, his voice now raw, "what have you done with her!"

"Oh..." Drago said, turning, a devious smile on his face, "you're her rider... are you not? Eret told me you drowned..."

"Eret's a liar," Wrenlou growled, coughing a little, "where is she!"

"You'll see her soon enough," Drago said, smirking, "soon enough indeed..."

No matter how much he struggled, with a flick of his wrist Drago told his men to take him away and he was dragged from the ship. Honeycomb chirped in confusion, but when one man grabbed her chain she followed willingly, chirping and crooning at the practically lifeless dragons on deck. He knew that his only hope now was Hiccup, and he prayed he had made it home safe.

0-0-0-0-0-0

It seemed to take weeks to get back to Berk, but at the speed Toothless was flying it couldn't have been more than a day. By the time they reached the island the dragon was exhausted, and he collapsed the moment they landed on the plaza. He whines miserably, his flanks heaving. Before Hiccup even had a chance to get off, Astrid hurried towards him.

"Hiccup!" she said, lightly panting, "what happened? Where's Wrenlou?"

"Wren..." he started, slipping to the ground, "Wren... he..."

"Is he okay?" Stoick asked, having arrived just seconds after Astrid, "where is he? Did something happen?"

"Drago has Wrenlou!" Hiccup blurted out, biting his knuckles, "and Honeycomb. They took them. He has them."

Astrid gasped, her hands flying to her mouth. Stoick stared at him in shock, and more Berkians gathered around.

"We found it," Hiccup said, now pacing, "we found Drago's fleet. It's massive. Huge. Thousands of men, maybe even more dragons. We stand no chance against that. No chance..."

"But how did he get captured?" Astrid asked.

"My fault," Hiccup mumbled, "it was my fault.. We... we found a nest. A sanctuary. Hundreds of dragons were there. We found evidence that someone had been living there. Journals, clothes, others stuff. I got to caught up in reading the journals... and Wren... I snapped at him when he asked me when we would go to find Snowflake. I told him to go alone... and he did... and now Drago has him... it was my fault..."

Astrid gently stopped him and wrapped her arms around him. He hugger her back, pressing his face against her shoulder.

"We'll find them..." she whispered, "Wrenlou, Snowflake, Honeycomb... we'll all find them."

"I know where they are," Hiccup mumbled, pulling away, "but Drago's fleet is huge. He has hundreds of trappers out there catching dragons. They're also a first line of defense, positioned at the outside of his fleet... we'll never get through. Never..."

"Then we get ready here," she said, "they'll come here eventually. They'll have to. And when they do, we'll be ready for them.


	17. Broken

_Hi guys, sorry for the late update. I planned to update two days ago, but then I had to go to the hospital and have my wisdom teeth removed... you know how it is. Writing is pretty hard with your mouth hurting like that, and I feel for everyone who's experienced the same. For all of you who haven't reached that age yet... I hope you never get them. I really._

 _Anyway, moving on. Here's the next chapter, and despite the hurting mouth the longest in a while! I hope you enjoy guys... shit's about to go down._

 _Enjoy!_

* * *

 **Chapter 17. Broken**

He was shivering as he stared at the wall. The ship rocked on the waves and with every dip it made water flowed in through a hole in the wall, and the floor was covered with the ice cold sea water. He suspected it was intentional, just to make him, or any other victim locked in here suffer. And there was no way to get away from the water, since they had chained his ankles to a metal hook in the floor. He had to stand or sit, and neither was pleasant.

When they had dragged him down here they had come past many cages, all holding one or more dragons. He had seen a wide variety of species, but he hadn't seen the one he had so longed to see. His Snowflake was nowhere to be found, and he couldn't help the fear that had crept into his heart, the fear that she might be dead. If Drago was the kind of man to enslave dragons for his own personal gain, to wear their skin as armour, he was certainly the kind of man that would kill a dragon and not feel bad about it at all. He tried to listen, to hear her voice among the many he could hear, but he failed. There were too many dragons screeching, yelping and crooning out there, it was almost deafening.

He had no idea how long he was left alone in the dark hold of the ship, the freezing water seeping into his clothes and chilling him to the bone. When the door finally slammed open he didn't even bother to look up. He was yanked to his feet by a man, holding his arms painfully tight as another unlocked the chain, and they dragged him out of the door.

They didn't go back up, as he had expected, instead they seemed to be going further down. He struggles, although it was useless, and eventually they dragged him into a large rounded space. There was a pole in the middle, possibly for support, probably for something else, cages along the circle, seven small ones on the left, and three large ones on the right. All the cages had dragons in them, most small ones two or three, and the larger one as much as six. Scourge and claw marks were all over the floor, scales of all different colours and sizes littering the wood, some dark stains that he knew to be blood.

They left him there, his right arm chained to the pole. The chain didn't give him much space to move around, just a few feet. The dragons in the larger cages to his right were snarling, slamming against the barred door to get out, and he was sure that they would rip him to shreds of they would break free. The other dragons, in the small cages were cowering, whimpering in fear and when he moved a little closer he could see the wounds that covered their emaciated bodies.

He felt his heart break as he watched them cower in the corner, their once beautiful scales dull and grey. But he felt the same pain when he looked to the others, snarling and vicious, knowing it wasn't how they were meant to be. But even here he didn't see his Snowflake, and it reliefed some of the worry that was laying heavy on his heart.

Unable to stay still in the horrible place, he paced around as much as the chain allowed him to. The broken scales that covered the floor crunched under his feet, and he idly swiped through them. There were many, most blue and red, some green and orange, and then he found some white ones. His heart sank as he picked them up. He stared at the scales in his hand, hoping, praying that there was another white dragon trapped here, wishing they weren't hers. He was so caught up in finding the scales that he didn't notice how Drago himself entered the room. He only looked up when the snarling dragons suddenly quieted down, slinking away from the bars as the man strode past them, black cloak around his shoulders, a grin on his face.

"What have you done with her!" he screamed, jumping up, but Drago simply smirked.

"I made her mine," he said, "she belongs to me now. She answers to me now. She obeys my commands. You've lost her, _Dragon Rider_."

He spat the last word, showing his hatred for him and the others. Wrenlou glared at the man, clenching his hand around the scales he had found.

"I'll kill you," he growled, "and I'll enjoy doing it!"

"You'll kill no one," Drago said, grinning, "like your dragon you belong to me now. You are mine, and you will do what I tell you to do!"

"Never!" Wrenlou screamed, jumping at him.

The chain around his wrist yanked him back down and he hit the floor hard. As soon as he made a move to get up again Drago had a sharp spear pointed at his throat.

"You want to see her again... don't you..." he said almost thoughtfully, "very well then. You will see her. I'll even bring her to you myself..."

Wrenlou frowned, not trusting the man in front of him, but Drago pulled the spear away from his throat, allowing him to get back up. The man walked to the wall, pulling a lever. A door opened and for a while nothing happened, but then he heard a roar and his heart jumped. He knew that voice from thousands, the voice of Snowflake.

The white dragon burst through the door, spines raised, wings flaring and she snarled when she saw Drago. She made an attempt to attack him, but a chain around her neck held her back. She snarled more, slashing the ground with her claws, her tail lashing back and forth. The moment she spotted her rider her entire demeanor changed. Her spines flattened, she tucked her wings to her side and sat down, her tail curling around her paws. She crooned softly, as if she was wondering if he was truly there, and smiled her gummy smile at him. He smiled back weakly, glancing at Drago, grinning at the man's shocked face.

"Come here girl..." he whispered, not even sure if the chains would allow them to, "oh... I missed you so much..."

She howled and jumped forward, the chain stopping her short. He was also yanked back, unable to touch her outstretched nose. She whined, pulling the chain to get just a little closer and he did the same, ignoring the shooting pain in his arm, just trying to touch her nose. Just before he was able to a whip cracked, striking both his arm and Snowflake's tender nose, and they pulled back howling and yelping. He glared at Drago, rubbing his arm, knowing there would be a welt later. Snowflake hissed, her demeanor towards Drago filled with hate, and she opened her mouth to blast him to bit.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," the man hissed, gesturing to the door, where a man stood, a crossbow aimed at Wrenlou's heart, "if you even think about hurting me, your precious rider will die!"

The dragon shut her mouth and whined, looking at Wrenlou with both apology and a plea for help in her eyes.

"You didn't break her did you," he hissed, "you failed. You failed to break her and make her yours. And you'll fail just the same when you try to take Berk!"

Drago cracked the whip again and laughed, watching them both flinch at the sound.

"Oh my boy," he said sweetly, "you have no idea how much power I have over her and all the others. Come, let me show you..."

He shouted, almost screamed something he couldn't quite make out, stomping his foot against the floor. The whole boat suddenly rocked and a deafening roar filled the air. Water was splashing and he had to grab the post to keep from falling as the boat tipped almost sideways before falling back. Snowflake's ears were twitching nervously and she whined as she pressed against the floor, scratching her head as if there was something in there she wanted to get out. Then, suddenly she sat up, her pupils narrowed into this slits, her ears flat against her head. She didn't move a muscle, sitting as motionless as stone.

"S...snow...?" he asked tentatively, slowly reaching out to her, "girl...?"

The dragon didn't move, not even her ears reacted to the sound of her voice. He stared, horrified when Drago walked over and leaned on her casually, as if she were no more than a sidetable. She stayed motionless, not even acknowledging the man she had hated only second ago. Drago chuckled at his shocked face, simply patting her neck.

"She is mine _rytarre_ ," he grinned, "she follows my command now."

Wrenlou screamed, running towards him but Drago stepped back and snarled a command. Snowflake got up and turned to him, her movements stiff. Wrenlou stopped dead in his tracks, now retreating as Snowflake advanced as she would on her prey. She followed him as he walked backwards, the chain around her neck now gone, allowing her to go where she wanted.

"Snow... no... please..." he begged softly, his hands towards her, "it's me... please... Snow..."

The dragon growled lowly and he realized he could go no further. The chain around his wrist was stopping him from taking another step. He kept begging her to stop, to snap out of it, but she held her threatening pose until Drago yelled another command. Then she pounced, throwing him to the ground, her paws on his chest. She growled, forcing him to look down her throat, her teeth sharp and threatening to tear him apart. Drago was laughing, a hollow, mirthless sound, and Wrenlou closed his eyes.

Suddenly the pressure on his chest disappeared and when he looked up again Snowflake had gone, curling around Drago's legs like she was a cat demanding attention. It broke his heart to see her with the man he hated more than anything, and he knew she would blast him to bits without a second thought had he not done something to her.

"You see _rytarre_ ," he said, petting her forcefully and not at all kind, "she belongs to me now. Like you'll belong to me."

"I don't belong to anyone!" Wrenlou screamed, flinching when Snowflake growled and curled her tail around Drago, "and I'll certainly won't do what you say!"

The man chuckled, stepping away from the white dragon curled around his legs.

"Off you go my pretty," he said, "back to your cage."

Snowflake uncurled and left, despite Wrenlou's cries for her to come back. The door closed behind her and he fell silent, looking down at the floor, the white scale falling from his hand.

"Now now..." Drago said, coming closer, "don't pout. You'll be reunited soon."

"I will not be your puppet!" Wrenlou snarled.

"Oh no, we're not here to talk about that," Drago said, his voice condescending, "no my boy, I want to know where you're from."

"I'm from Berk," Wrenlou growled, "and no I won't lead you there."

"We both know that's not true, is it," Drago said, setting the whip he had been holding all this time against the wall, "you're skin is too dark, your accent doesn't fit, even your clothes are different... you're no Viking boy, no matter how hard you want to believe that."

He looked down. He knew it wasn't true. He knew he was no Viking, no matter how hard he had tried to fit in, no matter if the people of Berk called him one of their own. His eyes darkened and he pressed his lips together, and when he looked up to meet Drago's gaze, his eyes were spewing fire.

"I'm from Berk," he spat, "no matter what you believe."

The man just smirked and went to the door. He hollered a name into the hallway and not much later a man walked in. even with the longer hair and beard, and different clothes, he recognized the man immediately.

"You!" he blurted out, "what the fuck are you doing here!"

"Hello, Wrenlou," the man said with a grin, saying the name as if it was disgusting, "how _nice_ to see you again."

"Spitelout," Wrenlou said, clenching his hands, "we thought you were on Outcast Island."

"Oh I was," Spitelout said, smiling darkly, "I went there, after you banished me. But when I got there everyone was gone and the village was destroyed. By _dragons_. But I stayed there. Where else would I have gone. You took everything from me. You destroyed years and years of hard work. You and... _Hiccup_. But a storm blew me away when I was out fishing. I spent weeks drifting at sea until Drago's men found me. I traded my life for all that I knew. About you, Berk, the dragon riders... everything."

"Traitor," Wrenlou hissed, "they're still your family!"

Spitelout snorted and showed him the stump of his right arm. "Did you forget about _this!?_ My own _brother_ did this to me! When we take Berk, I will kill him, I will kill his pathetic son he dares call an heir, and I'll kill Snotlout too!"

Wrenlou smirked a little. "Too late. Snotlout's gone. He's left Berk."

This seemed to genuinely surprise the man as he took a step back, frowning.

"He left?" he asked, "but where would he go?"

"Like I'll tell you," Wrenlou growled, "he went where you won't find him. He went where he's safe from _you!"_

"He went to your island didn't he," Spitelout said, "he went to this... Dragoncity, right?"

"I wouldn't tell you if I wanted to," Wrenlou said coldly, "he's far away and you'll never see him again."

"Dragoncity," Drago said, stepping in, twirling a knife in his hand, "where is it."

"You wouldn't find it if I told you!" Wrenlou yelled, "it's not on any of your maps! And even if it was, you'd never make it alive."

"Tell me where it is," Drago hissed, setting the knife on his arm, ready to slice his skin open.

"Far across the sea," Wrenlou said, and he knew he wasn't lying, "through snow and ice and endless oceans bigger then you can imagine. And if you survive the storms and hurricanes, our defenses will take you down long before you set foot on our beaches."

Drago growled in annoyance, his face twisting in an angry frown. He dragged the knife across Wrenlou's arm before turning away, pacing in front on him. He ignored Wrenlou, who was now clenching his bleeding arm, and he ignores Spitelout, who watched everything with an amused grin.

"The Night Fury," Drago eventually said, "where did you get it."

"Where do you think," Wrenlou said, "if you want Nadders where do you go."

"Night Fury Island doesn't exist!" Drago hissed, "I've searched for it for ages after killing my first Night Fury." He ran his hand down his cloak almost lovingly, a strangely morbid gesture. "There's no such thing as Night Fury Island."

"Guess again," Wrenlou said, "seems like you didn't search hard enough."

Drago turned to him, his eyes sparkling strangely, and he pointed the knife at him.

"You," he said, stepping closer, "you know where it is. You will tell me where it is!"

"Forget it!" Wrenlou screamed, "I will not allow you to destroy my home!"

"Your... home?" Drago asked, stepping back, "you... live, on Night Fury Island?"

Wrenlou gasped, knowing he had said too much. The interrogation continued, but his silence resulted in two more cuts down his other arm, then Drago and Spitelout left. As soon as they left he sank to the ground, trying not to think about Snowflake curling around Drago's legs. The dragons in the cages were snarling again, and he covered his ears to try and block the sounds. It didn't work, of course, the dragons being far too loud. He was almost glad when two men came to get him, although he dreaded what would come next. He fully expected to be brought back to the wet cell down below, but they took him onto deck, chaining him to the mast. Snowflake was nearby for some reason, curled up in a cage

"You must be thirsty..." Drago said, coming closer.

"No I'm not," he said, turning his head, "go away."

Drago grabbed his chin, forcing him to look at him. He nodded to a man he had called Mutt earlier, and he walked over, a cup in his hands.

"You don't have a choice," he hissed, letting go of his jaw and taking the cup, swirling the contends, "you will drink this. You see, this is a very special brew... it just needs one more thing..."

He gave the cup to the man again and he walked over to Snowflake. The dragon looked up, her pupils still narrowed, and she didn't even flinch when he slashed her leg. He caught some of her blood in the cup, then stirred it with the knife. Wrenlou had no choice but to watch, disgusted and horrified. The man gave the cup back to Drago, who turned to Wrenlou.

"Drink it," he said, his voice emotionless.

Wrenlou just shook his head, looking at Snowflake for any sign of the dragon he knew, but she had curled up again, unmoving. Hands grabbed his face, prying his mouth open so that Drago could pour the liquid in. He tried to spit it out but couldn't, a hand keeping his mouth closed and forcing him to swallow. It was bitter, with the distinct taste of iron and copper, and something else, something so bitter it made him gag, wanting to get the taste out of his mouth.

"You will stand here," Drago said, smirking, "until it takes effect."

"W...what..." he asked, still shuddering at the taste, "w...what does it do... what will it do to me..."

"You don't know?" Drago asked, "how could you know... this will make you mine. My... puppet, as you so nicely put it. This is extract from a plant that takes your free will. The dragon blood strengthens the effect. It will take a few hours to take full effect, and then you'll do what I tell you to..."

Wrenlou stared at him, horrified. It took a moment for Drago's words to sink in, but when they did, he shook his head.

"You can't do that!" he yelled, "you can't!"

"I can and I will," Drago hissed, "and with your help, I will take Berk for myself, enslave it's dragons and kill everyone who stands in my way! With you by my side, I'll be invincible."

"No... no!" Wrenlou yelled, fighting the chains, "you're lying! No!"

"We'll see about that... won't we," Drago said, turning away, "we'll see in the morning. For now, you can stay here. And so can she. Sleep well... pet... I'll see you in the morning."


	18. Quiet

_Hello beautiful people,  
So sorry about the late update. I had a birthday party yesterday, my uncle's 50th, so there was no time to write and update and do things. So here it is now. The next chapter! Not as long as the others, but they can't all be a book on their own, can they? Anyways,_

 _Enjoy!_

 **Chapter 18. Quiet**

He stared out over the ocean. The sun had set hours ago, ending a day he wished he could rewind. He had played it over and over, but no matter how many plans he came up with, the outcome was always the same. Either he would have been captured or not, but there had been no way to free Wrenlou. It had kept him from sleeping and eventually he had just gotten up, staring at the sky, the water.

But not even the quiet, peaceful night could calm his restless mind. Not even Toothless warm breath in his hair was able to call him down. His mind kept spinning whit what he had done and how he should have acted differently. And even if he knew he wouldn't be able to change his actions now, they gnawed on him.

"Can't sleep babe?"

Astrid's soft voice startled him and he jumped a little. She smiled at him, wrapping the blanket tighter around her shoulders. She stood next to him, not looking at him anymore, instead watching the gentle ocean below. It was silent for a while, the sounds of Berk at night creating a pleasant background noise, and for just a moment it seemed like nothing was wrong."

"Looks so peaceful doesn't it," Hiccup said after a while, "like nothing's wrong. Not a care in the world. Quiet... almost too quiet..."

"The calm before the storm," Astrid agreed, resting her head on his shoulder.

"No, I can't sleep," he said, answering her earlier question, "not knowing that he's out there, and that he has my best friend and his dragon. He could be torturing them Astrid, and it would be my fault."

"Of course not love," she said, "it's not your fault. You made a mistake, sure, but so did he. It's both your fault, and Drago's, if you really want to blame someone."

"Wren didn't deserve this," Hiccup said sharply.

"And I'm not saying that he does," she said softly, her voice soothing, "I'm just saying that he made a mistake. And so did you. You couldn't have known what would have happened. And who knows, maybe if you had gone with him, you'd be his prisoner too. What good would that do any of us?"

"I shouldn't have left him there," Hiccup said, "I should've tried harder, done something..."

"There was nothing you could have done," she said, snaking an arm around his waist and smiling when he slipped his around her midsection, "Drago... he's too strong for one rider alone. It will take all of u to defeat him."

"I stand beside you brother, with you 'til the end..." Hiccup mumbled, almost talking to himself.

"What did you say?" Astrid asked, frowning.

"It's a promise we made, long ago pretty shortly after we've met," Hiccup said with a sigh, " _We face the fire together, brothers 'til the end. Don't run away, our time will come but not today. I stand beside you, brother, with you 'til the end._ I broke it. I abandoned him. I broke the first promise we ever made. Through everything we never left each other behind. Not in Rome, not with... the slavers, never. But I left him this time. I _left_ him. It's... eating me from inside. I can't deal with this pain."

Astrid didn't say anything. Instead she hugged him, staying like that for a while, listening to the rushing water, the creaking ships, the chirping and chatter of the dragons, Toothless' soft snores coming from behind them. After a while he hugged her back, sniffing into her shoulder.

"Thanks..." he mumbled.

"I love you, you know that right?" she said, pulling away some, "Wren isn't the only one you have. Even if you left him behind, we're here to help you get him and Snowflake back. You don't have to do it alone."

"I know," he said, wiping some tears away, "but I am the only one to carry the guilt of leaving him there. You have no idea what the Romans did to him. If Drago were to find out... if he would... if he..."

"Do you really think Drago would be that cruel?" she asked, frowning.

"You haven't seen him Astrid," he sighed, pulling away from the guard rail, "he has a cloak...made of Night Fury skin... he's got dragons enslaved on his ships. If he can do that to dragons, he can do that to a human. I don't even know what happened to Snowflake. She could be dead. She could be under his control. He could use her to hurt or kill Wren."

"It's the not knowing isn't it," she asked, placing a hand on his shoulder.

He nodded a little. "Wren is tough. He can take a beating and not talk, he can even take cutting or... branding, but if Drago were to use Snowflake against him somehow, it's over. He'd do anything to keep her safe, even if that included... say, destroying Berk."

She looked down a little, unable to find the words. She knew she didn't quite share the deep connection Hiccup and Wrenlou had with their dragons, but she knew she would move heaven and hell, pregnant or not, if Drago dared to lay his hands on Stormfly.

"Drago wouldn't make him do that... would he?"

"I don't know what he'll do," Hiccup said, throwing his hands in the air, "it's Berk he wants, because we could threaten his power, and I do believe him to be capable of somehow using Wrenlou and Snowflake against us, but I just don't know... I don't know how he would be able to achieve such a thing. He somehow has control over the dragons, he can make then do what he wants, but how he does it... I have no clue."

"Didn't you say that he beat the dragons?" she asked, following him as he walked away from the edge.

"Yes, but force can make them scared, but it can never grant him the kind of control he has. They seemed almost... lifeless. Like their souls were sucked out or something."

"That sounds bad..." she mumbled, casting a worried glance at Stormfly, "is there a kind of dragon that sucks souls?"

"Not that I know of," Hiccup said, opening the door and allowing her to go inside, "but there's tons of dragons I don't know of, so I suppose there could be. Or some drug maybe. I don't know..."

She nodded a little, a worried look in her eyes. He led her up the stairs to the bed and set her down on the edge, sitting next to her.

"Promise you won't do anything stupid," she said, taking his hand, "promise me Hiccup, please..."

"I promise," he said with a soft smile as he tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, "Wren means a lot to me... but I have you and the baby to take care of. I will save Wren, I'm not abandoning him, but I also won't be as stupid as I have been... in the past..."

She smiled a little and leaned her head on his shoulder. "Of course we won't leave him to die with that mad man, but we have to do this right. We know where his army is, we could organize a rescue mission."

"That's suicide," Hiccup said, "there's too many of them. Dragons, men, there's just too many of them. We have more chance here..."

He sighed deeply, running a hand through his hair. Then he turned to her, forcing a smile.

"Go to sleep darling," he said, pulling the covers back, "I'll patrol the island just to be sure."

"You can't," she protested, taking his hand, "it's too dangerous for you and Toothless! Even if he's nearly invisible at night!"

"That's why I'm taking Stormfly," he said with a smile, gently pushing her down, "Toothless will stay here and watch over you, okay bud?"

Toothless crooned, clearly not liking the idea, but he curled up next to the bed, his eyes on Astrid. After pulling the blanket around her and tucking her in, Hiccup leaned down, kissing her forehead gently.

"Don't worry about me, m'lady," he said, playfully flicking her nose, "we won't get lost."

"You promise?" she said, winding a strand of auburn hair around her finger.

He nodded, the serious frown returning to his face. He gave her one last kiss and pulled away. She watched him walk towards the door, but just before he could open it she remembered something.

"Hiccup? What about that trapper and his men. I mean, you no longer need them to find the fleet... so what will you so with them."

"You mean Eret," Hiccup said, and his face darkened, "I don't know. Maybe I let them go and use them as a diversion to sneak in and save Wren. Maybe I'll just keep them here until they rot. I really don't care what happens to them."

She nodded a little and he smiled weakly, before leaving, closing the door behind him. While Toothless stayed inside the house, Stormfly stayed next to the house. They had agreed on that after finding out that the Nadder was the loudest snorer in all of Berk, and kept them from sleeping. Even now he could here here snoring away, indicating that the dragon was fast asleep. He grabbed some chicken, too his helmet from the table and went outside.

Stormfly was easily awoken when the scent of her favorite treat reached her nostrils, and he quickly fastened the saddle on her back. As he led her to the plaza, since it was easier to get airborne from there, he passed a few of the guards that had been assigned after he had returned. The atmosphere was tense, and although the guards smiled at him, it was all forced. He knew everyone was pretending nothing was wrong, mostly for the sake of the children who were to young to understand a war was about to break out.

After getting in the saddle, slightly uncomfortable and not used to not having the prosthetic fin to control, they finally flew up. Stormfly was happy to be in the air again. For some reason she had refused to go flying without a rider, but it apparently didn't matter who rode her, as Wrenlou had no problem doing so as well.

"Just a quick tour around the island, okay girl?" he said, scratching her neck on that one spot he knew she loved.

She crooned excitedly and flapped her wings, quickly carrying him away from the city. When he looked back, he could see that it was on high alert. Many of the beacons that warned them about approaching dragons had been lit again, as well as stationed guards at sea stacks all around the island. The harbor was well lit with a few large fires, and extra guards had been placed near Eret's boat. The prison guard had also doubled, even if the trappers had been no trouble at all.

He could see the flickering lights of the ground patrols weaving through the forest, as they searched for any sign Drago had sent an early part. They did so every night, just to be sure he wouldn't try to sneak on the island under the cover of night.

"It's a mess," he said, talking more out of habit, "Wren gone... Snow gone... Toothless grounded, a madman on the way, a baby on the way... oh gods... how does dad do it! How does he do it Stormfly. How can he have a dozen different problems all at once and still be cheery."

Stormfly chirped and he sighed deeply, running a hand through his hair. The lap around the island finished much quicker than he liked, and he reluctantly steered Stormfly back down. The Nadder seemed eager to go back to sleep, and as soon as the saddle left her back she curled up, her head tucked under her wing, and started snoring again.

He looked at the dragon fondly, then walked over to the front door of the house. As soon as he opened it a black shape shot out, and Toothless curled around his legs, his saddle between his teeth. The dragon was whining, looking at the sky longingly, and Hiccup felt like a jerk for denying his friend the thing he liked the most.

"Toothless..." he said softly, kneeling down, "you know it's too dangerous..."

Toothless whined, dropping the saddle and nosing it over to him. Hiccup sighed deeply, looking at the dragon's pleading eyes, then at the saddle.

"I suppose... a quick, little flight can't do much harm... don't you think?"

Toothless bounced around, tongue flopping. He nudged Hiccup's chest, then pushed the saddle over to him. Hiccup smiled, his practiced hands securing the contraption within minutes, and before they knew it they were high in the sky.

"Okay, Toothless," he said firmly, "we're not letting the island out of our sight, we don't do any plasma blasts or dangerous tricks, and we're back on the ground in five minutes, got it?"

Toothless crooned, just happy to stretch his wings again. They flew the same route he had taken with Stormfly, the Night Fury effortlessly gliding through the clouds. The flight ended much too soon for both of them, and after they had landed they both stayed on the plaza for a while, Hiccup not even bothering to get down.

"I hope this whole Drago mess is over soon..." he said, rubbing Toothless' ear, "because I sure miss flying and not constantly checking for trappers and other nasty people. Don't you, bud?"

Toothless crooned, his ears dropping. Hiccup hugged his neck, resting his cheek against the black scales.

"I know... I miss them too. But we'll get them back. And Drago will pay for what he has done. We've faced worse, right?"

Toothless warbled, flicking his tail.

"Yeah... I can't think of any either..."

They stayed there a little longer, until Hiccup sighed.

"Come on bud, lets catch some z's shall we? We've got so many things to do tomorrow..."


	19. Old Friends

_Hello guys,  
Sorry for not updating for so long. Along with a massive writers block I also just got a kitten, and he's very playful. It's hard to write with a little floof chasing your fingers over the keyboard, believe me I've tried. I do believe I have conquered the writers block, so expect more chapters soon. Once again, I am sorry for keeping you waiting for so long, you guys deserve much better. I do hope you like the chapter!_

 _Enjoy!_

 **Chapter 19. Old Friends**

"Well? What did he say?" she asked as soon as Hiccup left the house.

"He called me crazy," he said with a sigh, "said that it's madness to let him go now that we know where it is. But I may be able to convince him."

"I still don't understand why you want to let those trappers go," she said, taking the arm he offered her, "we know where his army is, we know how big it is, we really don't need Eret or his crew anymore."

"That is true," he said, walking along the path to the forge, "but maybe we can use them as a diversion so we can sneak in and..."

She sighed, stopping him. "You promised you wouldn't do anything stupid," she said, "sneaking in with Eret s about as stupid as it gets.'

He sighed and looked down. "You're right..." he said softly, "it's just... difficult. A war coming, Wren gone, Snowflake gone... you pregnant. I'm scared. I don't want to lose any of you. Not you... or the baby... or Wren."

"I am too," she said, holding his arm, resting her head on his shoulder, "but we're Vikings, are we not? It's an occupation hazard."

"Astrid..." he started, turning to her.

She stopped him again, smiling. "We have fought dragons for 300 years. We can do it again."

"You know how many people died during those raids!" he said, "and this is different! This isn't just an army of dragons. It's a fleet! With ships and men and weapons..."

"So what will you do now?" she asked, "let him go anyway?"

"I'll ask the village what they think is best," he said, "it won't make much of a difference to keep him here. At least, I don't think it will. He will either go back empty handed and Drago will deal with him or he stays and we do."

She nodded a little, opening the door to the Hall. Before they could go in they heard an all to familiar shriek and they whipped around, seeing everyone staring up at the sky. Before he could ask what was going on, four Night Furies and a Monstrous Nightmare swooped down and landed in a spray of dust.

"What in the name of Thor...?" Hiccup mumbled, walking over to the dragons.

The riders had jumped down, their helmets on the saddle. They were being greeted by the villagers, who parted to let them though.

"Broghan!" he said, shocked, "Leila! Susan, Sharon... what are you guys doing here!"

Before anyone could answer a man stepped forward. His black hair was cut short, and even though he was wearing the same suit as the others, he clearly had more muscular mass than the other riders. It was clear that he was a born Viking. Hiccup's jaw dropped, his astonishment growing even more.

"Snotlout" he said, "I... eh... I mean Morvin..."

"Hi Hiccup," the man smiled, "so good to see you again."

"Yes, certainly," Hiccup said, "but what are you guys doing here! Didn't you get the message that the wedding was postponed?"

"We did, certainly," Broghan said, "and congratulations are in order I believe?"

Astrid smiled, stepping forward, shaking their hands as they all congratulated her. When Broghan turned back to Hiccup his smile had faded, a serious look on his face, as well as a worried frown. He took his arm, leading him to the side, a way from the others.

"We got a letter," Broghan said, speaking softly, waving the parchment, "from Wren. He said Snowflake had been taken by some dude named..." he checked the paper, scanning the lines, "Drago Bludvist? And that he's preparing a war and coming for Berk. And we were worried so we came at once. Hiccup, is any of this true? Is Snowflake gone? Is a war brewing?"

Hiccup sighed deeply, looking down. He eventually nodded slightly, looking up and meeting Broghan's dark eyes.

"It is true," he said, "remember a few years ago? When we came home on the ship of your uncle?"

"You told us you had encountered trappers," Broghan said nodding slightly, "and that they took the dragons but you got them back with help from uncle Roderick."

"The dude's name is Eret," Hiccup said, "he's been working for Drago for years. And apparently losing the Night Furies had earned him a death sentence if he didn't bring them back. We didn't know, but he's been after us ever since. It was just stupid coincidence that he encountered Wrenlou and Snowflake on their evening flight."

Broghan nodded a little, crumpling the paper in his hand. "So where is he? Wrenlou? I can imagine he's quite upset."

"Broghan..." Hiccup started, but he found himself at a loss for words. He ad no idea how to tell his friend that his brother was in the hands of the same madman that had taken possession of his dragon. He had no idea how to tell him it had been his fault, his carelessness that had even led to he circumstances which had caused his capture.

"I... I'm sorry..." he stammered, "Wren... Wren is..."

Broghan grabbed his shoulders, shaking him a little. "He isn't dead is he? Gods, tell me he isn't dead..."

"No... I don't know," Hiccup said, looking down, "he's been captured as well."

Broghan stared at him, so shocked he didn't notice that the others had joined them as well.

"How could that happen...?" Leila asked, clearly just as shocked as Broghan.

"We wen't looking for her," Hiccup explained, "and we found this... cave like thing, filled with dragons. Almost like a sanctuary. And we found out someone had been living there, a woman. We found her as well, dead. But she left journals, and I got too caught up in them... we... fought, he left on his own. When I realized what I had done it was too late. Broghan... I'm so sorry... it's my fault..."

"Hiccup, stop right there," Broghan said, his expression softening, "it's not your fault. It's not anyones fault, okay? Except maybe this... Drago character. And Eret. Mostly Eret. If I get my hands on that weasel..."

"He's in our jail," Hiccup said, "we caught him last week. Drago had given him a week to get Toothless as well. We... well, just me, have been thinking of sending him back to Drago to let him deal with him."

"You want to release him!? Broghan shouted, "are you insane? You should have him punished with some on your Viking punishments! He took Snowflake! And he caused Wrenlou's capture! Who knows what this Drago is doing to him!"

"Look, Broghan, I know," Hiccup said, "and no one is feeling worse than me right now, believe me, but what do we gain by keeping him here?"

Broghan stared at him, not believing what he was hearing. "You really want to let him go? Are you serious? We may not gain anything by keeping him here, but what do we have to gain by letting him go?"

"I want Drago to wipe that smug grin of his stupid face," Hiccup growled, "and I know that we can kill him, but somehow it will be so much more satisfying watching him sail away knowing he can't have the dragons and knowing that he's going to his doom."

"What if he runs," Broghan said, "what if he sails the other way."

"He won't," Hiccup said, "he's been after us for years, out of fear for this man. He won't go the other way if there's just a slight chance Drago will come after him and find him. And something tells me Drago gets what he wants. Which is of course very bad news for us..."

Broghan groaned, running a hand through his hair. "We were expecting trouble when Wren's letter came, but this... a war? You find trouble wherever you go... don't you."

Hiccup shrugged apologetically. "Come. There's a meeting about the trappers."

The riders nodded, joining the stream of Viking that filed into the Great Hall. The tense silence hung over them, while they waited for Hiccup to join Stoick. He stared at then nervously, glancing to his right were Astrid stood, giving him a reassuring smile, although the gesture never reached her eyes.

"Okay... em... right," he said once he doors closed, "the trappers. As you may recall a week ago we told them we would release them, so they could lead us to Drago's fleet. But the facts have changed. We now know the location of Drago's fleet, so the trappers are obsolete. We no longer need them. So the question is, what do we do with them?"

"We kill 'em of course!" a man shouted, and some others quickly joined him.

"Blood eagle!" another yelled, waving his axe in the air, and he too soon had supporters among the crowd.

"Guys, guys... please..." Hiccup said, trying his best to keep his voice calm, "we can't just kill them. That would make us no better than Drago himself. We either let him go, or give them a trial."

"Let them go!?" a woman shouted while she pushed her way through the crowd, "have you lost your mind? They took one of our own! We cannot let that go unpunished. I'm surprised to hear you say such a thing Hiccup Haddock, especially since Wrenlou is our best friend!"

Hiccup's eyes darkened and he stood up, his figure dark and menacing. "Yes, he is my best friend," he said, "and I know him the best from anyone here. He would kill Eret and his trappers himself for what he has done to Snowflake. But he isn't here, and that is entirely my fault. And believe me when I say that I wish to bring justice to these trappers, but if we were to kill them we ourselves would become as bad as Drago, and I wish to prevent that. So don't tell me what to do, Alfhild, I am not in the mood."

He took a deep breath and sat back down, glancing at Astrid when she squeezed his hand.

"I have considered letting them go," he continued, "just so that Drago can give them their justice, but I now think it would be preferable to keep them here, at least until we can trial them. Is that agreeable for all of you?"

He waited for the nods and whispers to die down, then stood up again.

"Thank you. You're dismissed. Remember, there is a war brewing. We best get ready for that."

The Hall emptied and he sat back down again, sighing deeply. Broghan and the riders came over, sitting down quietly.

"I think you did the right thing," Broghan said, "letting them go would have been a mistake."

"I'm afraid that keeping them here will be a bigger mistake," Hiccup said sighing, "someone out there might be angry enough to kill them anyway.'

"Double the guards," Morvin/Snotlout said, "no, triple the guards."

"We can't spare the men," Hiccup mumbled, "we need everyone to prepare the village or we'll be overrun."

"Then I'll do it, his cousin said with a grin, "me and Hookfang will guard the prison, would that be alright?'

Hiccup nodded a little. "Thanks Snotl... no... Morvin..."

The man simply nodded and left, calling for his dragon the moment he left the Hall. Hiccup slumped, leaning his head against Astrid's shoulder.

"Why does it have to be so hard..."

"I know love..." she said softly, "come... lets get some rest shall we? Gods know we both need it badly."

He nodded, too tired to argue with her and he wished the other riders a good night. Time had flown by and the sun was setting, a few lost snowflakes dancing through the air.

"Winter will be here soon..." he said, stopping and staring out over the sea, "we may be able to use that to our advantage. If the sea freezes Drago's ships are useless."

"I'm sure he'll find a way," Astrid said, "he has dragons. He will use them."

"I'm afraid that much is true," he said, continuing to walk along the narrow path to his house, "I just hope Snowflake won't be among those dragons."

She opened the door, leading him in. After she closed it she walked with him up the stairs and watches as he simply flopped down on the bed, his face in his pillow. Since he made no move to take his boot and prosthetic off, she did it for him, also removing the leather suit so he was just in his plane green tunic and brown pants. Only when she slipped next to him and pulled the blankets up did he move, turning to face her.

"I hate war," he exclaimed, "it's horrible and dreadful and people die..."

"I know babe," she said, pulling him close to her chest, "I know..."

"Promise me you won't put yourself in danger," he said, his green eyes looking up at her pleadingly, "promise you'll stay in the Hall, with the healers when the time comes. I couldn't bear to lose you... or the baby... I can't... just can't..."

She sighed, running her fingers through his hair. "Hiccup... you know I can't promise you that... to walk away from a fight would be dishonorable. My father would disapprove."

"Your father isn't here!" he said desperately, "please Astrid, this isn't about honour, it's about not getting killed! Please... I can't lose you... or the little one..."

She looked down, gently placing her hand on her stomach. The baby inside was growing steadily, and she knew it wouldn't be long before it would take its first breath of air. She understood Hiccup's fears all to well.

"Alright..." she whispered in his air, her breath warm on his skin, "I promise I'll stay with the healers. Promise you won't get killed..."

He smiled weakly and nodded. His arms found their way around her torso and he pressed his head against her skin, his hair ticklish on her skin. She held him close, just enjoying being close to him. When she looked at him after a while she realized he had fallen asleep, his head against her chest.

"Rest Dragon Boy," she whispered, "only the gods know when the next time will be..."

0-0-0-0-0-0-0

The dark figure pressed against the wall, the hood pulled over his face concealing it in the dark. He glanced around the shoulder, smirking when he saw the red Mosntrious Nightmare sprawled out on the ground, fast asleep. His rider wasn't far away, also deep in one guard that was left was nodding off, and a simply blow to the man's head knocked him right out. He snatched the keys from the man's hand and went inside, opening the cells that held the trappers captive. They looked confused, hesitant, and Eret frowned, crossing his arms.

"Who are you," he demanded, "you, in the hood. Show your face and tell me who you are."

The cloaked figure just pointed to the door without saying a word, and Eret's frown deepened.

"You're letting us go? Who are you then?" he asked, stepping closer.

The figure stepped back, once again pointing to the open door, then he turned and left through it, leaving it open. He threw the keys back at the guard's side and disappeared into the forest, leaving the trappers confused.

"Come on then guys," Eret whispered as he began to make his way to the door, "lets find the ship and be out of here before they wake up."

The men nodded, creeping through the village. They found the ship in the harbor, all the damages repaired.

"They actually fixed it..." someone muttered.

"Shh!" Eret hissed, "get on board and get out of here. And fast! Come on! Lets go guys!"

The ship departed quietly, expertly steered towards open sea. Before anyone on Berk had realized what had happened, the trappers had disappeared into the night.


	20. Enemy or Friend

_Hi guys, here we are again! Once again not entirely when I said I'd update, so sorry about that, but you know, life happened so I didn't have a lot of time. I hope you enjoy this chapter, please tell me what you think about it, and if the twist at the end surprised you... I'd love to read your reviews!  
_

 _Enjoy!_

* * *

 **Chapter 20. Enemy or Friend**

"They're gone! The trappers are gone! Someone set them free!"

The shout rang through the village early in the morning, and confused villagers who opened their doors, still rubbing the sleep from their eyes, saw a frantic Morvin running through the streets, Hookfang right behind him.

"They're gone!" the man screamed, banging on Stoick's door, "the trappers! They're gone!"

Hiccup and Astrid, having awoken from the consternation downstairs, looked at each other.

"This isn't good," Hiccup said, and Astrid shook her head.

Not five seconds later heavy footsteps came up the stairs and the door was yanked open, revealing a fuming Stoick.

"Great Hall. Both of you. Right now!" he practically snarled, and Hiccup nodded, unsure of his father was mad at him, his cousin or just the world in general.

They got dressed quickly but silently, Hiccup sighing deeply as he pulled a tunic over his head. As they exited the house, the people on their way to the Hall cast glances at them, and Astrid took his hand, squeezing it lightly. The tension in the hall itself was almost visible in the air and made everyone uneasy as mumbles and whispers rippled through the amassed crowd. Morvin was standing next to Stoick, the panicked look still on his face, his black hair messy, his whole figure disheveled.

Stoick waited until Hiccup and Astrid were seated, casting a dark glance at his son before he stood up, the anger dripping from his voice as he spoke.

"As you may have heard," he started, gripping the table so hard his knuckles turned white, a clear sign he was trying to contain his anger some, "the trappers have escaped. I have been informed that someone walked into the prison, opened their cells and let them out, after which they went to the harbour, took their ship and left. Now, the question is, who is responsible for this?"

The Hall fell silent, the Vikings look at each other, mumbling softly. Stoick watched it for a while, before he silenced them with a thundering shout.

"Hiccup?" he asked, turning to his son, "do you know more of this? Did you let them go?"

Hiccup stared at him in shock, stammering before he found his words, and he stood up straight.

"I did not let the trappers go!" he spoke, his voice strong and powerful, "I swear it on my other leg that I didn't set them free."

"I can confirm that," Astrid said, "he was so tightly in my arms, I would have known had he woken up and left."

Stoick grumbled a little, nodding. He let his eyes glide over the crowd, until he spotted a group of people at the back, and his eyes darkened.

"Broghan!" he thundered, "come here!"

Hiccup frowned as he sat back down, watching as the man pushed his way through the crowd, clearly shaken by the tone of Stoick's voice. Before he had a chance to speak, Stoick's mighty voice filled the Hall once again.

"Did you set the trappers free!?" the man asked forcefully, "and don't lie to me!"

"Set them free?" Broghan asked with a bewildered look on his face, "tell me Chief, why would I do such a thing? They have brought harm to my brother, my friend. I would much prefer them locked up. I'd much rather see them dead..."

"Do you swear on your life that you did not set them free!" Stoick demanded, his figure dark and looming.

"Yes sir I do," Broghan said, "in fact," he glanced at the others, "we all do. We stayed up all night trying to come up with a plan to free Wrenlou and Snowflake."

"We must have lost track of time and dozed off," Leila said, "because the next thing we knew was Morvin running through the streets shouting like crazy that the trappers had escaped."

Stoick nodded and the Hall was silent for a while. None of the ones gathered dared to speak. Even Hiccup, who normally had a few witty comments ready was silent, looking down at the table. The silence was finally broken when Stoick turned to Morvin on his left.

"Maybe you let them go..." he said, pointing an accusing finger at the young man's chest, "you were very eager to guard them... weren't you."

"I swear I didn't," Morvin said, stepping back, "I swear. We took up position, drank something, next thing you know, sun is shining, birds are tweeting, and the cells are empty. I don't know what happened. I normally never fall asleep."

"The flask," Hiccup said, "do you have the flask from last night?"

"Eh... sure," Morvin said, confused, "why?"

"May I?" Hiccup asked, holding his hand out.

As soon as he was given the flask he opened it, sniffing the contents.

"Valerian," he said, "maybe chamomile. You've been drugged. This was planned."

"Can anyone get those herbs?" Stoick asked.

"Not in these parts of the world," Hiccup said, "it's too cold. I really think Wren is the only one who has it in his collection."

"So only someone with medical knowledge could have done this?" Stoick asked, his eyes gliding to Aminda and her apprentices.

"Not really," Hiccup said, putting the flask down, "he has them labeled. Anyone looking for something could have figured it out."

Stoick nodded solemnly, and silence fell once again. Hiccup sighed and looked down, Astrid placing a hand on his shoulder.

"No time to look for them," Stoick said eventually, "who ever it was, we'll deal with him, or her, later. Right now we have to prepare for war. So get back to work people, there's no time to lose."

The Hall emptied, quiet whispers among the crowd as it poured out of the building. Eventually Hiccup and Astrid were the only ones left, Hiccup staring at the table.

"Who do you think it was," Astrid asked softly.

"I don't know," he said, shaking his head, "but I don't think it really matters at the moment. Come, I have work to do. Swords to make, axes to sharpen. Daggers to repair."

She nodded and got up, waiting for him to follow. She decided not to voice her concerns for now.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0

"E...Eret...? are you sure we can't just run?" the man asked, clearly afraid.

Eret shook his head grimly, and pointed to the rear of the ship. From behind the iceberg they had just passed a black ship had appeared and it was approaching fast.

"'There's no turning back now..." Eret said, trying to hide his fear, "we're sailing to Drago's fleet."

The man nodded meekly and walked off, his head down. After casting a glance at the still approaching war ship, Eret gathered the crew, looking at the loyal men in front of him.

"Men," he started, "it has been an honour serving with each and every one of you. I apologize for failing to protect you, I wish it had been different, but whatever happens, I am glad I knew you. I am glad for the adventures we've had."

The men cheered, but it was weak and clearly forced. Just as he stepped down the black ship came along side and they were boarded, the armed soldiers taking the ship easily. There was no way back. They were going to Drago if they wanted or not.

The journey there seemed to last for hours. Agonizingly slow hours, and when the fleet finally came into view, he felt his stomach drop. Drago's ship seemed even bigger, even blacker and far more menacing than ever before. The man himself was waiting on deck, his bullhook in his hand and his black cloak around his shoulders. Eret didn't say anything when he was brought before the man, he knew Drago had heard of his failure already.

For a while the silence lingered, the only sounds the sloshing of the water and the occasional shriek of a dragon. Drago didn't move, he just stared down at him, his dark eyes seemingly tearing into his soul. When the man finally spoke up his voice was cold, void of every emotion.

"You failed me..." he said, still not moving, "I told you what would happen of you failed me didn't I?"

Eret looked down, afraid to answer.

"I asked you a question!" Drago thundered, and Eret swallowed.

"Y...you did," he said, raising his head, "but I know where it lives now! I can lead you there! I can lead a ship!"

"You?" Drago asked, his tone now mocking, "you failed to bring me the second Night Fury, yet you want to lead a ship? To where? Berk? Is that where it lives?"

Eret nodded, trying to keep his hands from shaking.

"I don't need you anymore," Drago said, the icy tone returned to his voice, "I have someone better. Someone who hasn't failed me yet."

"Who!" Eret said, for a moment forgetting he was talking to his biggest nightmare, "I've been the best trapper for years!"

"He's no trapper you fool!" Drago hissed, striking his cheek, "I've learned by now not to trust trappers. Not saying that I trust him, but I trust him more than you."

Eret glanced back at his man, not seeing the smirk on Drago's face as he turned away from him.

" _Rytarre!_ " he yelled, and Eret looked back, "come here!"

A black figure looked up, stepping away from the ship's railing and walking over. He was dressed in a completely black armour that resembled the scales of dragons, a black helmet on his head. He had a sword at his side, just as black as the rest of the armour. He didn't say a word, standing next to Drago as the man walked around him, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"I believe you know this man, don't you?" Drago asked, and the man took off his helmet.

Eret gasped as soon as he saw the rambunctious black hair and the blue and green eyes.

"You!" he blurted out, "Wrenlou!"

Wrenlou's eyes narrowed as he stared him down, the cold, almost dead stare cutting into his soul.

"Well?" Drago asked again, his hand still on Wrenlou's shoulder.

"I do know him master," the young man answered, not taking his eyes of the trappers.

"Indeed you do," Drago said, grinning, "in fact, you did great letting them go. Wonderfully done."

"What have you done to him!" Eret demanded, watching Wrenlou as he stood stiffly on the deck, the black helmet in his hands.

"Me?" Drago asked, glancing at him, "that's none of your concern. All you need to worry about is your life. I don't need you anymore, and now you see why. Rytarre, go to Berk. Bring me it's heir. Alive and in one piece, preferably, but if you must damage him, try to be somewhat careful."

Wrenlou nodded curtly, slipping the helmet back over his head. He called out, and his White Fury appeared, also dressed in a black armour that covered most of her white scales. He swung into the saddle and the pair took off, the dragon's movements sluggish and not at all elegant. Eret watched them go, fear rising in his throat. He really had been made completely obsolete.

"Now then," Drago said, almost casually leaning on his bullhook, "what to do with you? I don't need you anymore do I. Neither do I need your crew. Or your ship."

"Please sir," Eret said, "spare my crew. They have done nothing. It's all on me. I failed you. Punish me, but let them go."

"Let them go?" Drago asked, raising a thick eyebrow, "just like that? Eret... you know I don't do things like that."

Eret looked down, clearly afraid of what was to come. Drago seemed to ponder his options, stroking his ragged beard, a dark thought forming in his head.

"Ah... yes... of course..." he said, the smirk back on his face, "Mutt! Bring this one down below. We'll deal with him later. As for his men... line them up. Take every fifth and feed them to the dragons. Let the others go, but cripple the ship. They're no use to me anymore, but that doesn't mean we can't have some fun, does it?"

Eret stared at him in shock, then looked back to his frightened men. Before he could say anything, strong hands grabbed his arms and he was hauled to his feet, dragged towards the stairs that led down into the belly of the ship. Behind him he heard the terrified cries of men about to meet a terrible faith in the hungry jaws of a dragon. Not long after an explosion and the sound of splintering wood, accompanied by the laughter of Drago's soldiers.

He struggled, best he could, but he couldn't escape the hands. He was dragged towards a small cell and chained to the floor, left alone in the dark, the screams of his men still ringing in his head. He felt completely helpless, unable to even fight back or defend his men. He felt like an utter failure, and he knew he would most likely die horribly, which did nothing what so ever to improve his mood even the slightest.


	21. Taken

_Hello my dears, yet another chapter for you. Shit's going down... are you guys worried yet? Someone might die you know..._

 _Enjoy!_

* * *

 **Chapter 21. Taken**

He sighed deeply as he stared out over the ocean. Despite the danger he had insisted in participating in the nightly watch, seeing it as his duty as future Chief of Berk. Toothless was curled next to him, purring softly, just happy to be out of the house. It had been almost a week since the trappers escaped from the island, but there had been no sign of then. Or the man that set them free. They had seemingly disappeared without a trace, their only clue being the herbs that had been used.

"What do you think bud," he asked, glancing at the dragon, "who do you think set them free."

Toothless looked up, crooning softly. Hiccup sighed and looked back to the ocean.

"Yeah... I don't know either. Or when Drago will attack. It's driving me crazy! He is out there now, he has Wren and Snow, and he could be making his way over here as we speak! And the only warning we have is the watch towers and the guards."

He shook his head and turned back to look at the village. It was almost impossible to tell they had been getting ready for war. A few lanterns were still lit, the flames flickering in the chilling air. The yaks and sheep had all been led into their stables, and most of the dragons had either left or were sleeping inside the houses and stables. The half moon shone with a weak, pale light, the thousands of stars like pinpricks in a sheet of paper.

"It's not enough..." he said softly, glancing at the house where he knew Astrid and his father slept, "it won't be enough. Even with Broghan and the others here, it just won't be enough."

Toothless nudged his leg, looking up at him with his gentle green eyes, the pupils fully dilated. Hiccup smiled weakly and scratched the dragon's head, opening his mouth to say something, but he was cut off when something moved in the corner of his eye. He looked up, to see the outline of a black figure on one of the bridges. He jumped up and Toothless growled, his wings flaring, but the figure turned and walked away, towards the forest. Hiccup drew Inferno, straightening his back.

"Come bud," he said, placing his hand on the dragon's head, "lets follow him. But carefully."

Toothless growled lowly and Hiccup followed the black figure as he walked deeper and deeper into the forest. The man didn't seem bothered by the fact that he was being followed, and that alone should have set off alarm bells in Hiccup's head. But the worry about Astrid and the baby, the fear about the imminent war, the possibility to lose everyone he held dear to his heart had clouded his judgement, and he didn't turn back.

"Hey..." he frowned, looking around, "where'd he go? Toothless? Do you see him?"

The dragon crooned, also looking around for the man. Then he raised his head, picking up a scent and following it, going straight towards the cove where they had first met. He crept towards the edge, Toothless right behind and peered inside. The man was calmly sitting on a rock, his head resting on his hands while he was staring at the lake, seemingly just waiting.

"Stay here Toothless," he whispered, and the dragon pressed low against the ground.

Hiccup slipped down, Inferno ready as he landed on the soft grass. If the man had heard him he didn't show it, not moving as Hiccup crept closer. He stood up straight, holding Inferno next to the man's cheek.

"Get up," he said coldly, "slowly. Don't try to take your weapon or I will kill you."

For a moment the man sat motionless, then he dropped his hands and stood up off the rock, turning around. A black helmet concealed his face, and Hiccup frowned.

"Who are you!" he demanded, waving Inferno, "what do you want here!"

The man didn't answer, but before he could demand an answer a second time, the man gasped and dropped to his knees, yanking the helmet off and throwing it aside. He curled up, his arms wrapped around his stomach, but Hiccup stood frozen. He would recognize the messy black hair anywhere.

"Wren...?" he asked, completely shocked, "oh my gods, Wren!"

He rushed over, throwing Inferno down and kneeling next to the man, placing a hand on his shoulder. When Wrenlou looked up he almost jumped up again. His pupils were switching from big to small, his face twisted in a pained grin.

"H...Hiccup..." he whispered, "r...run..."

"No, I' not leaving you," Hiccup said, determined, "what did he do to you? Wren?"

D...drugged me..." Wrenlou said, groaning while he tried to push Hiccup away, "c...controls me s...somehow...g...go... he sent me to t...take you to him... run..."

"I won't leave you," Hiccup said, grabbing Wrenlou's arm and trying to sit him up, "come on. We'll find a way to fix it."

"NO!" Wrenlou screamed, forcefully pushing him aside, "run! g...go..."

Hiccup yelped as he stumbled backwards and fell, but he was back on his feet in a matter of seconds. He looked over to Wrenlou, who had gone quiet, and carefully moved closer, placing a hand on his friend's shoulder, shaking him lightly when that got no response.

"Wren?" he asked softly, "are you okay?"

For a moment it was silent, then Wrenlou started laughing. Hiccup frowned, but Wrenlou got up, shaking the hand off his shoulder.

"You're a fool Hiccup Haddock," he said, drawing his sword, "you should have left while you had the chance... now it's too late."

Hiccup gasped and stepped back. Wrenlou's pupils had settled on mere pinpricks in his irises, his face was emotionless, and his eyes were as cold as ice. Hiccup glanced back to where he had dropped Inferno. He looked back at Wrenlou, searching for any sign of the man he knew, but whatever drug Drago had given him had taken over his mind, and there was no sign he even knew what he was doing.

He held his hands out as if he was going to surrender, and when Wrenlou lowered his sword, he turned around and sprinted to Inferno, grabbing the hilt and clicking the blade open, turning around just in time to block a blow aimed at his head. He was now laying on his back, Wrenlou standing over him, their swords pushing against each other.

"Wren, please," Hiccup said, his arms straining from the immense pressure Wrenlou was able to extort on the blade, "you're no fighter... you're a healer!"

"My Master has given me a command," Wrenlou said blankly, "I must obey it."

"Master?" Hiccup asked, kicking Wrenlou's shin and jumping up as the man stumbled backwards, "you hate that word! What are you, a slave?"

"My Master has demanded your presence," Wrenlou said, charging at Hiccup.

Hiccup blocked the blow, pushing Wrenlou backwards.

"Wren it's me!" he said desperately, "can't you see it's me? Snap out of it, please!"

Wrenlou's face changed, no longer blank and expressionless, instead twisted with rage that Hiccup was fighting back. He growled lowly and circled him, his movements almost like that of a dragon.

"Wrenlou, please," Hiccup said, reaching out to the man, "think of Snowflake."

A loud roar from above them made him look up. Toothless came crashing down, Snowflake appearing on the edge. Before Toothless had a chance to get up the white dragoness jumped down, dressed in black armour similar to Wrenlou's. She pinned Toothless easily as the dragon lay dazed from the fall, and Hiccup stared in shock.

"S...Snow...?" he asked, and the white dragon looked up.

Her pupils were small slits in her vibrant eyes, and Hiccup realized she was under Drago's influence as well. Toothless growled and tried to get up, but Snowflake held him down, roaring in the dragon's face, a clear threat.

"Wren, please," Hiccup pleaded softly, "it's me, Hiccup. Can't you see me? Can't you hear me?"

But Wrenlou didn't respond and charged him. Hiccup parried, their blades clashing and sparks from Inferno flew up. Hiccup pleaded desperately for his brother to listen, seeking his eyes and trying to get through to him. But Wrenlou's eyes were slightly glazed over, his pupil a tiny speck, his face twisted in rage and hatred. He pulled away, aiming at Hiccup's right but once again Hiccup blocked the blow. They were both fighting left handed. Hiccup because it was his dominant hand, and Wrenlou because the strange black suit he was wearing didn't have his arm brace, meaning his right arm was practically useless for a fight.

"Wren! It's me! Come on brother, snap out of it!"

Wrenlou's sword met his own again with so much force that is caused sparks. The blades slid past each other, both pushing with all they strength, but where Wrenlou was trying to kill Hiccup, Hiccup in turn was just defending himself. He couldn't bring himself to attack his brother and possibly hurt him. No, if he wanted to defeat him, he had to tire him out, let him use his energy so that he could be subdued easily and safely.

He stumbled back when Wrenlou shoved him, quickly regaining his posture and bringing his sword up again, just in time to block a strike aimed at his head. It was then that the realization that Wrenlou was really trying to kill him really sank in. This wasn't one of their trainings, this wasn't one of their play fights, this was serious, and if he didn't do something to stop it, one of them would end up dead.

He stepped back, his prosthetic slipping on the ground, and Wrenlou's sword nicked his cheek as he was just a little too late to block the blow. He ducked under the blade and spun around, but Wrenlou was just as fast and their blades clashed again. As they pushed against each other, Hiccup desperately sought Wrenlou's gaze again.

"Wren, please" he begged, "please come back to me."

Wrenlou grunted and shoved him back. Hiccup stumbled, but was able to regain his balance and when he looked over at his brother, he saw how his face was twisted in a blind rage that wasn't his, his mind under Drago's control as the drug coursed through his veins.

"Please Wrenlou," Hiccup pleaded with his brother, "please, you have to fight it. You're stronger than he is, I know you are."

"You don't understand," Wrenlou growled, raising his sword again, "Drago is the true Dragon Master. You, you are just a pretender. And if you won't follow him, then you must die."

The words were like knifes in his heart, and Hiccup blinked away a few tears. Somewhere he knew that Wrenlou didn't mean what he said, that is was the drug talking, but he couldn't shield himself from the hurtful words completely, so they landed where they hurt him the most. He looked at Wrenlou across from him. The man holding the sword with two hands now, his face twisted with rage and his eyes were spewing fire. The black armour he was wearing looked alien on him, the black metal reflecting the light from the rising sun.

Wrenlou charged again, and Hiccup blocked him, pushing back with all his might. Wrenlou had always been stronger, if only slightly, but he was at a disadvantage with his arm brace gone. Slowly, but surely he managed to push Wrenlou away, completely oblivious to the fact that in his brainwashed state, Wrenlou would not play fair.

He kicked his shin, and Hiccup stumbled backwards, trying to keep his balance while his prosthetic was slipping on the wet ground. He growled, gripping his sword, and retracted the blade. Wrenlou stopped his charge, his eyes widening in surprise.

"Listen," Hiccup said softly, "I don't want to fight you. Please, come back to me..."

Wrenlou growled and gripped his sword tighter. "You don't understand!" he screamed, "you will never understand!"

Hiccup shook his head. "This isn't you!" he argued, "you're better than this! You're stronger than he is!"

"No... no I'm not..." Wrenlou whispered, then he raised his sword again, ready to charge.

Hiccup stepped out of the way, and used Inferno's handle as a club, landing the metal object against Wrenlou's head. Wrenlou stumbled and fell, stunned but not quite unconscious. Hiccup sighed and put Inferno back on his leg.

"I will not fight you," he said, "I refuse to."

With that, he turned around and started walking away, leaving Wrenlou on the ground. In his heartache and sorrow however, he once again forgot that Wrenlou was drugged and brainwashed, and therefor not fighting honest. There was a sudden sharp pain in his back and he froze, gasping for breath. He stood there, not quite comprehending what had happened, when he felt a push against his shoulder. He stumbled forward, then fell to his knees, leaning on his hands for support. He looked up when two feet came into his field of vision, and saw Wrenlou standing in front of him, a small, previously concealed crossbow on his arm. He retracted it into his arm guard and looked down at him, almost looking disappointed.

"Don't underestimate the power of Drago, Hiccup," Wrenlou said, his voice sounding very normal, "I made that mistake. But don't worry, you'll soon meet him."

Hiccup blinked a few times, finding it harder and harder to keep his eyes open. Wrenlou's face was swimming in front of him, the world blurring in and out of focus.

"W...what did you do t...to me..." he coughed, and Wrenlou chuckled.

"Don't worry... you'll be fine," he said turning around, "for now..."

Wrenlou brought his hand to his mouth, shouting his Night Fury call into the night, and it was answered by a screech. Snowflake came into view, landing next to her rider. Her pupils were narrowed into slits, the black armour alien on her and she looked menacing, but Wrenlou placed a hand on her nose and turned back to Hiccup.

"Time to go," he said, pulling out a rope, "Drago is waiting for you, Dragon Master."

Hiccup shook his head and tried to get up, but found his legs were to weak to carry him. He looked around for Toothless and found the dragon close by, a small dart in his neck.

"T... Toothless..." he coughed, "w...what..."

"Oh hush he'll be fine tomorrow," Wrenlou said, "just some Dragon Root."

Wrenlou stepped over to him, pushing him down on the ground with a foot on his shoulder. Then he pulled Hiccup's arms behind his back and bound them tightly. Hiccup hardly noticed anymore. The drug was finally taking it's toll, and the last thing he saw was Wrenlou pulling him onto Snowflake, and walking over to Toothless.

He pulled a scroll from his tunic and slipped it into Toothless' saddle bag. Then he petted the dragon and pulled the dart out, hurrying to get to Snowflake and leave with his captive, knowing the dragon would soon wake up from his slumber.


	22. Terrible News

_You were probably expecting Hiccup... weren't you. WRONG! Hahahahah. I am so mean. But next chapter you will find out about all the horrible things Drago has done. There will be violence. And blood. Maybe some tears. Next chapter folks! Next chapter. But read this one first!_

 _Enjoy!_

* * *

 **Chapter 22. Terrible News**

Astrid awoke the next morning, the sun tickling her face. She groaned, rubbing her eyes and just looking at the ceiling a little. She noticed she missed Hiccup's arm around her and turned towards his side of the bed, only to find him gone. She frowned, wondering where he could have gone and why he hadn't come to bed, until she remembered it had been his watch last night. He must have gone straight to the Hall for breakfast, and then to the forge to finish his work. He had probably decided to let her sleep and make sure she got the rest she needed.

After stretching she got dressed, taking a moment to rest her hand on her belly, feeling the small life within. She opened the curtains a little more, looking out over Berk. It was nearing noon, and she realised she had slept far longer than she originally thought. She went downstairs to find the house empty and frowned, but didn't think too much off it. She sighed and took her axe, opening the door and stepping out. It was a beautiful, sunny day, one of the nicest of the year, and it would have been a great day for picknicks and having fun, had it not been for the looming thread that hung over them.

Stormfly came up to her, chirping happily. She scratched the dragon's snout, missing the flights they would have every morning, but she didn't dare get on the dragon so close to the end of her pregnancy. She never told anyone, not even Hiccup, but she was terrified that something would go wrong and she would lose the baby as a result of that.

"Hey girl," she said with a smile, "have you seen Hiccup then?"

The dragon chirped and Astrid sighed. A small spark of worry ignited in her heart. Hiccup wasn't one to just disappear in times like this. He had been practically glued to her side since Drago abducted Wrenlou and Snowflake. and she hurried to the forge to find answers.

"Gobber? Gobber, have you seen Hiccup today?"

"No lass," the smith said, frowning, "I thought he was with you."

She shook her head, looking around the forge. Swords and axes were standing in barrels along the walls, the blades sharpened and glistening in the light of the fire. Hiccup's work space stood empty, a half finished blade laying across the anvil.

"Thanks... Gobber..." she said softly, turning to leave.

"Hey now, wait up," Gobber said, putting down his tools, "are ya telling me Hiccup is missing?"

"I don't know," she said truthfully, "he wasn't there when I woke, but I figured he could have been doing other things. I'll see if he's in the Hall."

"I"m coming with ya," Gobber said, "I don't like the sound of what yer saying."

She nodded silently and left the forge, Gobber close behind. It was a short walk to the forge, but she was exhausted by the time they arrived. Gobber had her sit down on the steps, patting her shoulder.

"Why don't ya stay out here," he said, already walking up to the door, "I'll see if he's inside."

She nodded and watched the smith go inside the Hall, the big doors closing with a _thud_.

"Oh Hiccup..." she muttered to herself, "where did you run off to?"

She suddenly spotted Stoick pushing through the crowd on his way to the harbour and she got up, going after him. She ignored the worried faces of the people she passed, as well as the quiet whispers that arose as she chased the Chief.

"Chief! Stoick!" she gasped for breath, leaning against the side of a house, certainly he hadn't heard her, but then he appeared next to her, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Astrid? What's the problem?" he asked, helping her sit down on a rock.

"H...have you seen Hiccup?" she asked, coughing a little.

"Hiccup? He had watch last night," Stoick said, "no idea why he insisted on doing that, but you know Hiccup. Always wanting to help. Wasn't he with you this morning?"

She shook her head. "I checked with Gobber but he hadn't seen him either. He's in the Hall now, to see if he's there."

Stoick frowned, looking down at her. "Don't tell me he's gone."

"Chief, I don't know," she said, "I don't know..."

He stood silent for a while, the frown deepening. When Gobber arrived and informed them that Hiccup wasn't in the Hall either and that no one had seen him since last night, Stoick grew angry. He turned abruptly, stomping towards the Hall. He didn't even need to order the villagers to follow him. His face told them enough and they all came to the building. She got up as well, going over, but since she was slower than the rest she arrived last, quickly slipping inside before the doors closed.

Stoick was sitting in his seat, his face predicting not much good, and she quietly sat down. Silence filled the Hall and after a while the crowd because restless, muttering to each other.

"Hiccup," Stoick finally said, his voice the darkest she has ever heard it, "is missing. Now we don't know if he ran off, or something else happened, but we have to find him."

The crowd buzzed, whispers arose and they all looked at Stoick, questioning what they would do.

"We'll form search parties," Stoick said, "search the island. Take the dragons and search the surrounding islands as well. We must find Hiccup and Toothless, whatever it takes."

The people nodded and whispered more, but no one made a move to start looking. Stoick slammed his fist on the table, the cups on it falling over and rolling off. Everyone jumped up, looking at him.

"Well!?" he shouted, "get your assess going this instant! Hurry up!"

In an instant the Hall was empty, groups forming and fanning out over the island. Astrid got up as well, but Stoick stopped her.

"You stay here," he said, his voice back to the gently tone she had come to know, "let us find him, okay?"

"I'm worried..." she said, looking down, "what if something happened. What if he fell and broke his leg and hit his head and can't call for help..."

"We'll find him," he said, giving her shoulder a light squeeze, "you'll see. Come Gobber, I know where we may find some answers."

She watched the men go, the worry now holding her heart in an iron claw. Thoughts on what could have happened to him swirled in her head as a mingling mess, and all she could do was sit and wait while the entire village was out searching.

"Come on Gobber, hurry up will ya!?" Stoick growled as he stomped through the forest.

He was on his way to the cove, knowing that is was Hiccup's sanctuary, the place he went to if he needed a break from everything. He himself had seen it only once, a few months ago, but he had a sharp memory and even clearly remembered how to get there.

"Ya know, not everyone has two legs," Gobber grumbled, hurrying along on his wooden leg, "I'm no' as fast."

Stoick sighed and waited for a moment, but the second Gobber reached him he took off again, walking as fast as he could, almost running to the cove. As they were getting closer, he suddenly froze, listening intently.

"Gobber... Gobber do you hear that?" he turned to the panting blacksmith.

"Hear... hear wha'..." Gobber asked, glaring a little.

"That..." Stoick said, holding up a hand, "that sounds like Toothless..."

Gobber frowned and listened, but there was nothing but the tweeting of the birds. Just as he was about to make a comment he heard it. A distant cry of a dragon in distress.

"Come on!" Stoick said, urging him on, "faster!"

Gobber grumbled but ran as fast as his peg leg could carry him, and soon they reached the cove. The desperate cries were clear now, the sound of claws on rock and a _thump_ of a large body hitting the ground. They pushed through the opening in the rocks, coming up to the cove and the first thing they saw was Toothless, the dragon trying to climb out with all his might. The next was the signs of the fight that had occurred. A sword lay abandoned on the ground, footprints all over the place, a black helmet lay discarded off to the side.

"Toothless!" Stoick called out, scaling the slippery wall and landing on the grass, "Toothless..."

The dragon looked up and shook his head, wailing loudly as he rushed over, bumping his nose against Stoick's chest. His black scales were grey from dust, and he looked like he had been fighting, some scratches and missing scales evident of he struggle. He was whining, looking around while clawing at the ground, and Stoick knew this wasn't a good sign.

"Where's Hiccup then Toothless..." he asked, taking the dragon's head in his large hands, "where is he?"

Toothless whined again, looking at Gobber who had picked up the black helmet and the strange sword, coming over.

"These aren't his... are they?" the smith asked, holding the items out.

Before Stoick could answer, Toothless growled and snapped the helmet from his hand, tossing it aside. He roared at the sword, his ears flat against his head.

"There's your answer," Stoick said, "come on. We must get back and find out what happened. Hiccup would never leave Toothless just like that."

Toothless whined as if to agree with him, and Gobber nodded.

"One problem," he said, "how do we ge' him out of 'ere. He can't fly without Hiccup."

"Then it's a good thing he showed me how to work the tail," Stoick said, walking over to Toothless' side, "you'll have to walk back Gobber, we'll meet you there."

He got on the dragon, managing to get the prosthetic into the proper position although it took some fondling. As soon as he was able to Toothless shot up and disappeared from sight, leaving Gobber on his own. He grumbled, starting the climb back to the top and the walk back, the angry scowl never leaving his face.

The door of the Hall flung open, slamming against the wall and she jumped up. It was Stoick. And he had Toothless with him. For a moment her heart jumped with joy, but then she realised Hiccup wasn't with them.

"Stoick..?" she asked, walking over, "Hiccup.. where is he...?"

"I'm sorry..." Stoick said, "we didn't find him. We found Toothless in the cove. There were clear signs of a struggle, but no sign of Hiccup."

She swallowed thickly and looked down. Stoick placed his hand on her shoulder and they silently waited for the rest to come back. The groups entered one by one, all with bad news. There was still no sign of Hiccup. When everyone had returned the Hall was filled with a solemn silence. They had found Toothless, but had still no idea what had happened to Hiccup. It was Astrid who spotted the scroll in the saddle bag, the dirty parchment rolled up tightly and sealed with a black wax seal. The skull of a dragon.

"What is it!" someone shouted.

"Read it!" another yelled, and she looked at Stoick, who nodded.

She broke the seal with shaking fingers, opening the scroll. It was written with a pitch black ink, the letters strangely elegant albeit somewhat shaky. She took a deep breath to steady herself, and read the message.

 _Berkians,_

 _I have taken your Heir, the one they call Dragon Master. He is now mine, and you will never see him again. There is nothing you can do to stop my forces, Berk's dragons will be mine. You can try, and you will fail to defend them. Defy me and you will be destroyed. But if you comply with my demands, you will be spared, and you will not be harmed. Time is running out, Berkians. Soon I'll be at your door. You will surrender, or he will die._

 _Signed, Drago Bloodfist._

She gulped. Next to the name was a bloody fist, and she was pretty sure it was made with real blood. She read over the letter again, the elegant curvy letters a stark contrast with the message they sent.

"This is Wrenlou's handwriting..." she said softly, "you don't think... Drago..."

Stoick took the letter from her, and she looked at the crowd. Their faces portrayed shock, sadness and disbelief, all the emotions she felt inside herself. Hiccup was gone, in Drago's clutches, and it seemed like Wrenlou had played a great part in his abduction.

"He wouldn't..." Stoick said, "not willingly..."

Toothless whined sadly and looked down, pawing the floor. Stoick's eyes darkened, and he crumbled the letter to a ball, throwing it on the ground.

"If it's a fight he wants it's a fight he'll get," he growled, "we're not giving up! Hiccup wouldn't want us to give up! We'll defend Berk, save our dragons and rescue Hiccup! Who's with me!"

The crowd cheered and Stoick grinned. "Then lets get ready! They won't know what hit them!"

The vikings left, leaving Stoick alone. He glanced at the balled up paper and sighed, exiting the Hall. He walked to the edge of the cliff, watching over the endless ocean in front of him.

"Hang in there Hiccup," he mumbled, "whatever happens, don't give up. We're coming for you."


	23. Introduction to Bludvist

_Hello folks, quick update this time. Now, before you read...  
_

 _Warning: this chapter contains graphic content. Reader discretion is advised._

 _But seriously, there will be blood, and violence and hurt. Read at your own risk and if you don't like things like that, I suggest you skip this chapter entirely._

 _Enjoy!_

* * *

 **Chapter 23. Introduction to Bludvist**

He awoke to a splitting headache, confused about what had happened. When he tried to touch his head, he found that his arms had been chained above his head. With a gasp he remembered everything, and his eyes shot open. It was dark around him, and he could hear water dripping, wood creaking and heavy footsteps above his head. A ship. He had to be on a ship. He groaned, blinking a few times to get the fogginess out of his head, and sighed deeply.

"Wrenlou..." he whispered, "where are you..."

But then he remembered how he had ended up in Drago's prison cell, and he sighed again. Wrenlou wouldn't help him. He was on Drago's side now. He rested his head against the wall, feeling the rough wood move as the ship danced on the waves.

He had no idea how long he had been in the dark cell, the icy water washing around his feet and climbing up his pants, soaking his clothes and chilling him to the bone. Suddenly the door opened, and a beam of light streamed in, stinging his eyes. While he was still blinking against the light, he felt how hands unchained his wrists, tying them behind his back instead. Then he was shoved out of the door and he stumbled, his legs cold from the water. He was practically dragged upstairs towards the deck, and when he got out into the air, the light was even brighter. When his eyes were accustomed to the light, he saw he was indeed on a ship. Drago's ship. The man himself was standing not too far away, a white Night Fury at his side.

"If it isn't the Dragon Master himself," the man bellowed, "I welcome you, to my humble fleet..."

Laughing arose from the crowd around them, as Drago made a mocking bow, his grin betraying his mockery. Hiccup growled and tried to break free, turning his attention to Wrenlou's white Fury.

"Snow..." Hiccup whispered and he pulled against the hands holding him, "let her go!"

"Go?" Dragon said, "I don't think so... she's mine now... both of them are..."

He gestured to something on Hiccup's right, and when he followed Drago's outstretched hand, he saw a back figure standing off to the side. Wrenlou was motionless, almost like a statue, not even moving when the ship bucked on the waves.

"Wrenlou!" Hiccup screamed, "Wren!"

"He's mine now," Drago said, lifting Wrenlou's head with the sharp tip of his bullhook, "mine to command. You will never see him again, Dragon Master."

Hiccup shuddered. The way Drago called him Dragon Master send shivers down his spine. He tried to ignore the man and turned back to Wrenlou. There was a dark bruise on the side of his head, one that hadn't been there before. His eyes were blank, staring back coldly.

"Wrenlou," he whispered, tears burning in his eyes, "please... come back to me..."

Drago turned back to him, a dark gleam in his eyes. "You want him back? That's never going to..."

The man stopped, looking from Hiccup to Wrenlou and back. A grin spread across his face.

"Take them below deck," he ordered one of his men, "I'll be right there..."

"Yes sir!" the man said, saluting Drago before turning back to Hiccup, "down you go again..."

"No!" Hiccup screamed, "Wrenlou! Let me go, you bunch of sour faced mollusks! Put me down!"

"He's a fighter this one is," one of the men chuckled, "just like the other one was. Drago is sure to fix that."

Hiccup planted his heels in the deck of the boat, determined not to go down the stairs, but a hard shove in his back caused him to stumble and fall, and before he knew it he was back in the dark drippy cell, his hands once again chained above his head. He pulled the chains, trying to break them, but quieted down when two other men brought Wrenlou down, chaining him to the wall opposite of Hiccup.

"Wrenlou..." he whispered

Wrenlou looked up, his heterochromatic eyes blank and his face expressionless. He didn't even seem to realize that he was being chained to a wall, the chains enclosing his ankles, wrists and neck. He just stared ahead, blinking slowly.

"Please... Wren.. come b..."

He was cut off when Drago appeared, carrying a cup in his hand. Wrenlou didn't react at all, he only blinked again, his face still expressionless. Drago slowly approached the two brothers, the cup tauntingly in his hand.

"You want him back you say..." he spoke slowly, "what would you do... if you had him back..." he stopped in front of Wrenlou, studying his expressionless face, then turned to Hiccup, "I can tell you what I will do. But then again... where's the fun in that..."

He turned back to Wrenlou, swirling the contends of the cup around. Then, he handed it to one of his men.

"Make him drink all of it," he ordered, "then give them some time alone..."

"Yes sir!" the man saluted again, and Drago left after one last glance at Hiccup.

The man with the cup turned to Wrenlou and grabbed his chin. He forced his mouth open and poured whatever liquid was in the cup into it, clasping his hand over Wrenlou's mouth. Wrenlou struggled a bit, the chains holding him down securely, and after a while the man pulled his hand away and left. Wrenlou was coughing, gagging even, shuddering while his face betrayed disgust.

"Damn... that's disgusting," he muttered.

"W... Wren...?" Hiccup asked tentatively, not sure if his brother was back to normal or not.

Wrenlou looked up, his eyes widening when he saw Hiccup. "Hiccup," he breathed, "how... what... what happened? How did you get here?"

Hiccup frowned. "Y...you don't remember...?" he asked.

Wrenlou sighed and looked down. "I don't remember much of anything," he said softly, "just... just that... Drago..." his head shot up, "Drago! Where is he!"

"We're on his ship," Hiccup said with a sigh, "you... he... he controlled you... somehow... and... well... you brought me here."

Wrenlou froze, every fiber of his being rigged. He stared at Hiccup with disbelief in his blue and green eyes, shaking his head.

"No..." he whispered, "no... tell me it's not true..."

"I'm sorry..." Hiccup said softly, "but really, it's not your fault. It's Drago's. He... did something to you... controlled you like he did the dragons."

But Wrenlou shook his head. "I should have been stronger," he whispered, "why wasn't I stronger..."

"Wrenlou... it wasn't your fa..."

Hiccup was interrupted when the door slammed open and Drago appeared, grinning from ear to ear.

"How's our little family reunion," he smirked, "everybody all caught up? Because I would like to get BACK ON SCHEDULE!"

The two men flinched at Drago's sudden shout, and while Wrenlou adverted his gaze from Drago, Hiccup stared at him defiantly.

"Take him," Drago said, pointing his bull hook at Hiccup, "leave the other."

Two men unchained Hiccup, but held his arms tightly. Drago gestured them out the door, and while Hiccup struggled, they simply dragged him out the door. Drago also gestured the other men out, until he was alone with Wrenlou. He walked towards the man, who stared back with fire in his eyes. The chains prevented him from doing anything, or he would have been at Drago's throat.

"I must say, boy," Drago started, emphasizing the word boy, "I'm impressed. We make a good team you and I."

"Go to hell," Wrenlou hissed, pulling his chains.

"Oh I will," Drago turned to Wrenlou, setting the point of his bull hook on his chest, "but not before I torture your friend, burn your village and take Every. Single. Dragon alive. And you know the best part? You will be alive to watch it all."

"You're sick..." Wrenlou whispered.

"I know," Drago grinned, "I'm going to torture your friend... right there, on the other side of that door. And you will stay here, and listen. And there won't be a damn thing you can do about it!"

He pulled away, a smug grin on his face, and stared at Wrenlou a moment. Then he turned around and stomped back to the door.

"Chain him up and get that armour off of him!" he shouted, then he looked back at Wrenlou, "and fetch me my whip. It's time to have a little fun.

"No!" Wrenlou screamed, yanking the chains, "leave him alone!"

But the door closed with a _thud_ , and a key was turned. He stared at the wood, shaking his head.

"Drago! You can't do this! Leave him alone, you stinking heap of dragon shit! If you harm one single hair on his head I swear to the gods I will feed your ass to Snowflake!"

But the door remained shut, no matter his yelling. He heard rough voices and the clatter of chains on the other side of the door, then suddenly, there was nothing. He frowned, moving as close to the door as the chains would let him, but it was dead silent in the other room. Then suddenly, there was the sound of skin against skin, followed by a yelp of pain.

"Hiccup..." he whispered, "let him go! Let him go or I will tear every single one of you to shreds!"

In his anger, he yanked the chains as hard as he could, almost screaming when a searing pain shot through his right arm. He gasped for breath, his head snapping up when there was another slap, followed by a louder yelp and Drago's bone chilling laugh.

"Hiccup!" he screamed as loud as he could, "Hiccup! No! Leave him alone!"

He closed his eyes and pressed his head against the wall as he heard the next punches, fighting back the tears.

"It's not fair..." he whispered, "why..."

He heard the beating continue for a while, then Drago's voice suddenly interrupted the sound of skin against skin.

"Tell me, Dragon Master," Drago's voice sneered, "where are your friends now. How do I get to Berk, hmm?"

"I'll never tell you," Hiccup said calmly, his voice only betraying a hint of pain.

"Is that right..." Drago mumbled, "I'll make you talk. I'll beat it out of you. And if you won't tell me, I'll make your friend take us there. You see Dragon Master, I don't really need you. I'm just having fun..."

"You're a real asshole," Hiccup mumbled, "I don't care what you do to me, but keep your hands off Wrenlou!"

"Now why would I do that," Drago said and his voice sounded terribly condescending, "he makes such a good slave."

Wrenlou froze upon hearing this, and in an instant every experience with the Romans came back. Not only had they scarred him, but the Romans had also marked Hiccup's skin. And Drago would find out. He would find out and use it against them.

"Get me a bucket of water!" Drago shouted, "and make sure it's a big bucket. Tell me, Dragon Master, do you know what it's like to drown?"

Wrenlou's eyes grew wide as he realized what Drago was planning on doing, and once again he pulled his chains as hard as he could.

"Hiccup!" he screamed, "Drago! Leave him alone!"

There was a loud groan from the other side of the door, and heavy footsteps coming towards it. It was thrown open with such force that it splintered at the hinges. Drago stomped in, fuming with rage. With a few steps he was in front of Wrenlou, planting his fist in the man's stomach. Then he grabbed the tangled mess of black hair, and yanked his head back up.

"And you," he said, his voice trembling with anger, "you should shut up. And if you won't shut up, I'll make you shut up."

He pulled a dirty rag from his pocket and shoved it between Wrenlou's teeth, tying it behind his head. Then he grabbed his jaw, staring into his eyes.

"Next time it's your tongue boy," he hissed, "so keep quiet! And enjoy the show..."

Drago turned around and left the cell again, pulling the door closed. The wood creaked loudly, the broken hinges protesting every movement, and as soon as it closed, Wrenlou hung his head, a silent tear slipping down his cheek. He looked up again when he heard a splash of water and the rattle of chains, followed by Drago's cold laugh. He closed his eyes, crying silently, knowing that it was his fault that all this was happening. On the other side of the door Hiccup coughed, taking audible breaths before his head was forced under water again.

He had no idea how long it continued, but suddenly the already broken door was kicked in, splintering completely. Two men came in and unchained him, dragging him into the other room where they tied him to a wooden post. Hiccup was chained between two others, his hair dripping with water and bruises had already started to form on his chest. Wrenlou pulled the ropes, unable to speak since they hadn't taken the gag off, but Hiccup noticed him anyway.

"I'm okay..." he said softly, promptly coughing and spitting up some blood, "j..just some bruises... that's all..."

Wrenlou shook his head, wanting to say so many things but unable to say them. He wanted to tell Hiccup he was sorry, he wanted to wrap his arms around his brother and tend to his wounds. Wounds he had because he hadn't been strong enough to fight off Drago and his nasty drug. It was as if Hiccup could read his mind, because he shook his head, looking up a little.

"It's not your fault Wren... it's not..." he coughed again, his breathing ragged, "it's not... none of it..."

Wrenlou ducked his head, his black hair falling over his eyes. The tears were burning, and so was the guilt. Hiccup could say all he wanted, but it was his fault he was here. He had taken him here, to Drago. He had shot him, and abducted him. It was his fault.

A dark laugh echoed through the room, and Drago stepped inside. He wasn't holding the bull hook anymore, this time, he was holding a whip. He walked over to Wrenlou, lifting his chin with the whips handle.

"Enjoy the show..." he simply whispered, "and remember... you brought this on your friend..."

Wrenlou shook his head as Drago slowly walked over to Hiccup, striking the ground with the leather cord. Hiccup sagged in the chains, shaking visibly, probably reliving all the horrors he had endured at the hands of a Roman Centurion. Drago just smirked at this, and snapped the whip above Hiccup's head. The man flinched, trying to pull away from Drago, but the chains held his arms securely and there was nowhere he could go.

The whip cracked and the sickening sound of leather on skin snapped through the room. Hiccup jerked when the whip sliced through his back, gasping but making no sound. Wrenlou balled his hands into fists, adverting his gaze to the ground with his eyes squeezed shut. The look of agony on Hiccup's face was something he could not watch. The whip cracked again, but this time it was Wrenlou who jerked up, the leather cord biting his cheek.

"You will watch it," Drago growled, "you will watch every second of it if you want to keep your hands, did I make myself clear?"

Wrenlou nodded slowly, biting down on the rag in his mouth as his eyes met Hiccup's. His brother's green eyes were filled with pain, but he saw no tears. Hiccup smiled weakly, but jerked when the leather cord connected with the skin of his back again. He bit his lip not to scream, but every time the whip hit his back, he let out a sharp gasp. Wrenlou was crying, the tears streaming down his face as he fought with himself not to look away. He flinched every time the whip struck, almost feeling it on his own back as he remembered the pain vividly.

Drago brought the whip down faster and faster, until Hiccup no longer jerked up when the cord met his skin. He slumped in the chains, slipping in the blood that pooled around his feet and after what seemed to be hours, Drago let the cord slide through his hands, the leather slick with blood. He lifted Hiccup's head with it, staring at his unconscious face.

"Petty," the man said, "I expected more from you, Dragon Master. You embarrass me, to faint after only forty lashes. Oh well... doesn't matter."

He let Hiccup's head fall back to his chest and turned around to Wrenlou. He grabbed his jaw, smearing Hiccup's blood over his face as he studied his tear stained cheeks.

"Next time it will be your turn boy," he said, "and he will get to watch. Something to look forward to, don't you think?"

Drago smirked and glanced back at Hiccup. Then he walked towards the door and flung it open, shouting orders while he walked up the stairs.

"Take him out and leave him on deck boys! A night out in the cold will do him good I'm sure."

The men chuckled as they came in to unchain Hiccup and drag his limp body to the deck. As soon as the door closed Drago turned to Wrenlou, his face dark.

"As for you..." he said, "you won't be seeing your friend tonight, slave. I have something else in store for you..."

He cut the ropes holding Wrenlou's wrists and dragged him out of the room. Instead of going up they went down, until they reached the belly of the beast. The cell he had been in when he had been brought on board. He was pushed in and a guard chained him to the floor, grinning madly. After the man was done Dragon knelt in front of him.

"Think about what you've done my pet..." he said, "this is all your fault... none of this would have happened if it hadn't been for you."

He got up, kicking the side of his head and sending him to the ground. Then he turned and left, laughing loudly, leaving Wrenlou alone in the dark. He shivered in the cold, wrapping his arms around his chest and curling up on the floor, staring at the wall. It was silent, the only sound the sloshing of the water, until a voice broke through unexpectedly.

"So he is forcing you then. I honestly figured as much. There's no way you would have done that for him of your own free will, is there."

He looked up, wiping some tears away, looking around through the dimly lit room.

"Who's there..." he asked, and a chain rattled, a man standing up and walking some paces, until the chain stopped him.

"It's me..." Eret said while he sat down again.

Wrenlou's face grew dark. "I don't want to talk with you," he growled and turned his back on the man.

"I suppose... I should be mad at you, for doing this to me," Eret said, "but it's really not your fault. Drago... forces people into doing his bidding. It's what he does best. It's really my fault that you're here. I dragged you into this mess..."

Wrenlou glanced over his shoulder, turning back as he crossed his legs, looking at the other man.

"What do you want from me," he said softly.

"I just... want to apologize," Eret said and he bowed his head, "I shouldn't have taken your dragon... involved you into this. I was trying to save my life, my crew, and look at me now. Paying the price for my failure."

He looked up, wiping some dirty hair from his face. The left side of it was covered in blood and Wrenlou frowned, moving closer.

"You're here..." Eret said, "does that mean you failed to bring your friend? Is this your punishment for not doing as he asked?"

Wrenlou looked down, choking back a sob. "No..." he whispered, "I succeeded... brought him here... left the note he forced me to write... this... this is torture... keeping us apart... knowing that he's hurt, unable to help..."

"I'm sorry," Eret said, and his voice sounded nothing but sincere, "is your dragon okay?"

"Of course she isn't!" Wrenlou snapped, "she's under the control of an evil man who uses her to make me obey, and hurts her if I resist, so no, she isn't!"

"I am sorry... for bringing this on you," Eret said, turning his head away.

"What happened to your face," Wrenlou asked, seeing the blood on it, and Eret uttered a shuddering sigh.

"Every failure is punished severely," he said, slowly moving into the little light they had, "first, he branded me. And this time... well... see for yourself."

He lifted his head and Wrenlou gasped, now able to see the full extend of Drago's anger. The left side of Eret's face appeared to be burned away, large blisters covering the skin. A deep cut ran across his eye, and he was sure that the man would never be able to see from it again.

"I failed him..." Eret said softly, "so he took my face from me... I'll be disfigured forever. I suppose... I do deserve that..."

"No one does..." Wrenlou said and he looked down, staring down at his hands.

An awkward silence grew between them, and Eret eventually retreated back to his corner, leaving Wrenlou alone with his thoughts. They didn't speak again and the night passed slowly. The only eay they got tell it was the next morning was the pale light that came in through the cracks in the wood, creating a strange pattern on the ground.

The door slammed open and he heard Eret gasp. Three men entered, grabbing his hands and holding them tightly before unchaining his ankle. He struggled as they dragged him onto the deck. He immediately saw Hiccup, chained between the masts. He was shivering as the cold wind howled around them, and Wrenlou shuddered as well, the thin layer of snow on the deck trampled into a brown pulp. Drago was waiting for them, smirking as the guards threw him down. He scrambled back to his feet, glaring at the man.

"What do you want from me," he hissed.

"Just one thing," Drago said, circling him, "I've come to realise something these last few hours. I can hurt you, I can hurt your friend, it doesn't matter. Neither of you care about personal pain. You're used to it. More or less... the scars tell me that much. So I've decided to do something different today."

He went over to Hiccup, playing with the whip in his hands.

"Hiccup my boy," Drago said, smirking as he circled him, "are you ready to talk?"

He brushed the leather cord of the whip over his shoulder, but Hiccup spat at his feet.

"I'll never talk you bastard," he hissed, "and your girly whip won't make me either."

Drago's eyes hardened, and he glared at him. Wrenlou's face dropped and he stares at Hiccup, his expression signaling him he should have kept his mouth shut. He shuddered, fearing what Drago would do next and looked down, pretending he wasn't there.

"It's not wise to insult me, boy," Drago said, smirking again, "it's "girly" is it? Don't underestimate me boy... I can do better..." He turned to Wrenlou, grinning. "You are going to whip him for me."

"What!?" Wrenlou blurted out, "no! Never! And you can't make me!"

"Are you sure about that...?" Drago asked, his face just inches away from Wrenlou's, "guess again..."

He stepped aside, revealing Snowflake. She was chained to the deck, muzzled and at least a dozen men were standing around her with swords pointed at her white scales. He gasped, turning around to face Drago. The man's dark eyes were gleaming with delight.

"If you don't do what I tell you to do," he said lowly, "I will kill your dragon. Slowly and agonizingly. And you'll watch me do it. Unless... you whip him for me."

Wrenlou shook his head, tears forming in his eyes. Drago growled a little, gesturing to one of the men. The man smirked and slowly pressed his sword into her skin, the sharp thin blade slipping between her scales and easily drawing blood. Wrenlou shrieked, running towards the man but another grabbed him, pulling him away. Drago lifted his hand and the man stepped back, pulling his blade away. Snowflake whimpered softly, a small trickle of blood stained her white scales. Drago came up to him, his whip in his hands, the cord swaying threateningly.

"Listen to me boy," he said, circling Wrenlou while he was held by the soldier, "I will kill her. A white Night Fury is extremely rare... even just one of her scales can make me richer than any king. Imagine what someone would pay me for her whole hide... I will kill her, unless... you do as I say, and whip your friend."

Wrenlou looked at Snowflake, the trail of blood on her white scales, and the dragon whimpered softly, her eyes almost begging him not to do it. Then he looked at Hiccup, his already beaten and shivering body. He was looking down, but glanced up a little, his green eyes filled with fear. Then he looked back to Drago, the man's scarred face almost twisted in a grin, his dark eyes full of hatred and contempt for the dragon riders. He was still holding the whip, and Wrenlou looked down on it, the leather cord covered in dark blood that couldn't be Hiccup's.

"I..." he stared, and he looked back at Hiccup. It was almost as if he was nodding, telling him to do it and save Snowflake.

"Yes..." Drago said, coming closer.

"I'll do it..." he whispered almost inaudible, reaching out to take the whip from Drago.

Drago smirked and pulled it away, shaking a finger at him. "Not with this one dear boy... oh no... I have a very special one for you. Very special indeed..."

Wrenlou stared at him, wide eyed and shocked as Drago turned and walked towards a small table he hadn't seen before. He took something off it, weighing it in his hand some, testing the weight. Then he walked back to Wrenlou.

"You will use this," he said, smirking, holding the whip out to him, it's nine tails swaying almost mockingly.

Wrenlou backed away, shaking his head. "No... I... I can't do that... I can't..."

"You really have no choice," Drago said, raising his hand to signal the man again, "you really don't."

Wrenlou looked at Snowflake, seeing the man raise his sword to stab it into her scales again. He shrieked, jumping forward.

"Don't hurt her!" he begged Drago, clinging to his arm, "please don't hurt her..."

Drago groaned and kicked him off his arm, watching coldly as Wrenlou scrambled back to his feet, coughing.

"You know what you must do," he said, throwing the whip at his feet, "whip your friend, or your dragon dies."

Wrenlou looked up at him, but he found no compassion in the cold, dark eyes that looked down on him with hatred. He then looked at the whip at his feet, the nine, short leather cords twisted and curled around each other, waiting to inflict pain on an innocent victim. As he reached out to take it, his hand shaking, he heard the men around him chuckle. He kept his head down as he stood up, dragging the leather cords of the whip over the deck, unable to lift his arm.

"Go on..." Drago said, "do it."

He looked up at Hiccup, their eyes meeting. Hiccup was scared, he could see it. He feared the pain, the whip, but he feared it even more now that it was Wrenlou who was holding it. And although he knew Drago was forcing him to do this, it didn't help. He took the whip in his right hand, knowing that arm was weaker, and knowing it wouldn't hurt him as much.

Wrenlou took a shuddering breath, wiping a few tears from his face. Hiccup was still hanging his head, and Wrenlou couldn't blame him. Hiccup couldn't bare the thought of being tortured by his very own brother any more than that brother could bare the thought of bringing the whip down. Wrenlou slowly raised the whip, looking at Drago one last time. But the man just stared back, his eyes cold and unforgiving, and after taking a deep breath, closing his eyes and stifling a sob, he brought it down.

Hiccup didn't scream, but his short gasp of pain when the leather cord sliced his already cut up back. Wrenlou nearly dropped the whip when he heard it, and he was afraid to open his eyes to see what he had done. He heard Drago come over, taking his chin in a painfully tight grip, forcing him to look at him, almost hissing in his ear.

"Harder! I want to hear him scream! I want to see him bleed!"

Wrenlou looked up at him, trying to look defiant but he knew all Drago saw was fear. The man smirked and let go of his chin, stepping back, gesturing to Hiccup.

"Do it!" he growled, "and harder! That didn't count at all! I want to hear him scream!"

Wrenlou inhaled sharply, but knowing that he had no choice, he raised the whip again. The tears were streaming down his face as he brought it down again, Hiccup's half choked cry of pain cutting into his heart. Drago growled, walking over, still holding the other whip.

"I said I want to hear him scream!" he snarled, "loudly! I want to see him bleed!"

"I can't!" Wrenlou shouted back, "I can't hurt him!"

Drago growled and raised his whip. Thinking he was about to get struck, Wrenlou yelped and ducked down, his arms over his head. But when he heard the whip come down he heard a howl from Snowflake, and he jumped up again, staring at his dragon. Drago had struck her nose, and since it was one of the most sensitive parts of her body, he knew it was hurting.

"For every one you fail to make him scream," Drago said coldly, "I will hit her, understand?

He nodded a little, knowing that no matter what he did, one of his best friends was going to be hurt. He shakily took the whip in his other hand and raised it, trying not to look at Hiccup's bloodied back or Drago's hatefilled eyes. When he brought it down, Hiccup screamed, jerking in the chains and he choked back a sob, collapsing on his knees.

"Keep going," Drago hissed, "I want you to get to ten. two down, eight to go... Now keep going, and count!

Wrenlou sobbed a little and he looked up, staring at Hiccup's back. It was hard to tell which one of the many lashes he had inflicted on his brother, but the layer of dried blood was crumbling away, and blood was trickling down Hiccup's legs and onto the deck, where it pooled in a small puddle. He got up again, his legs trembling and hardly able to keep him standing.

"Come on," Drago poked him with the dagger, "we haven't got all day! Get a move on, or I'll kill your dragon."

Wrenlou didn't answer, but he lifted the whip again. It seemed like it was made of stone, it was so heavy in his hand. He bit his lip so hard he tasted blood, and then he let the whip come down. Hiccup screamed again, jerking violently, blood now flowing freely.

"T...three," Wrenlou whispered, his voice trembling.

"Very good," Drago sneered, "you're beginning to learn. Continue. Still seven left to go."

Wrenlou ducked his head, blinking the tears from his eyes that clouded his vision. Maybe it was better to just do it fast, get it over with. Make it as short as he could, for Hiccup's sake. He looked up and tightened his grip on the handle of the whip. He took a deep breath, brushed his hair from his eyes, and stared at Hiccup.

" _I'm sorry,"_ he thought while he raised his arm again, _"I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry."_

Every time the leather cord connected with Hiccup's back he would whisper a silent apology, and the moment he reached ten, he almost threw the whip across the deck and turned to Drago. The man clapped slowly, mockingly.

"Well done..." he said grinning, "you saved your dragon... for now. Take them below deck. Give them some time together..."

The men nodded and cut the ropes holding Hiccup on his feet. He slumped onto the deck with a pained grunt. When Wrenlou rushed forward to help him up, Drago grabbed his arm and pulled him back.

"I changed my mind..." the man said grinning, "take the runt below deck. I'm going to have a little chat with our little friend here..."

"I am not your friend!" Wrenlou yelled, pulling on his arm to get free.

"You're not his either," Drago snarled, pointing at Hiccup, "now get him off of my deck! I need some privacy..."

Wrenlou cried out when Drago twisted his arm, keeping him on the deck while some of his men dragged Hiccup down the stairs. His brother looked more dead than alive, letting himself be dragged away like that. He struggled a little against Drago's iron grip, but the man was strong and all he did was hurting his own arm. Drago pushed him down on his knees, two other men immediately coming over to hold him there, and Drago moved in front of him, holding a knife.

"You did good," the man said, twirling the knife in his hand, "now, you truly belong to me."

0-0-0-0-0-0

Wrenlou stumbled into the cell, his hands pressed against the bleeding wound on his chest. He could feel his heart racing in his chest, as the warm blood dripped between his fingers. He leaned against the wall, trying to control his racing heart. He winced when he looked down on his chest, and then he remembered the mark on Eret's chest. In fact, every one of Drago's men seemed to have the same mark. He took a deep breath, but cringed at the sharp pain in his chest.

After he had regained control of both his breathing and his heart, he straightened his back and looked around the cell. He froze when he saw the figure chained to the back wall, auburn locks obscuring his face.

"Hiccup..." he whispered, forgetting his own pain, "oh gods... Hiccup..."

He rushed towards his brother as fast as his cold legs let him. There was still a layer of freezing water in the cell, and it was already soaking into his pants. He gently lifted Hiccup's head from his chest, cupping his face in his hands. Hiccup was unconscious, pale, a few dark bruises in stark contrast with his skin.

"Oh Hiccup I am so sorry..." he said softly, "I am so, so sorry..."

Hiccup groaned and slowly opened his eyes. He blinked against the flickering light of the torches on the wall, his eyes glazed and bleary. Wrenlou smiled at him, albeit weakly. Hiccup's eyes widened and he jerked away from Wrenlou's hands, turning his head to the side.

"I'm sorry..." Wrenlou whispered again, "please... forgive me..."

Instead of answering, Hiccup sobbed, keeping his head turned from his brother. Wrenlou pulled away a little, his heart breaking at Hiccup's rejection, but he understood why. He took a few more steps back, until he felt the wooded wall behind him. A few tears splashed in the water at his feet, as the full realization of what he had done finally sank in.

He had hurt his own brother.

He hadn't just hurt him, he had tortured him.

"Oh gods..." he gasped, shaking from head to toe, "oh gods what have I done... Hiccup... I'm so sorry..."

"Wren..." Hiccup's raspy voice came weakly, "Wren... I know..."

He looked up, his eyes meeting Hiccup's. Hiccup shivered, the cold water chilling him faster because of his injuries and lack of shirt. Wrenlou slowly moved towards him again, wrapping his arms around his brother the best he could.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, "I didn't want to. He.. he would have killed her..."

"I know..." Hiccup mumbled between sobs, "I...I don't blame you... r...really... I w...would have done the same..."

For a while they stood like that, both shivering in the cold that was crawling into their bones. Wrenlou held his brother into a tight embrace, silent tears dripping down his cheeks. He knew that what he had done to Hiccup would haunt him forever, however long that may be. Who knows what Drago had planned for them. Whatever it was, it couldn't be good. He had already proven himself a mad man, and mad men were never good.

It was uncertain how much time had past before the cell door opened again and the mad man himself came in, twirling his knife between his fingers. With a flick of his wrist he had a few men pull Wrenlou away from Hiccup. Then he walked closer, the knife glistening in his hand.

"Leave him alone!" Wrenlou screamed, "Drago! Leave him alone!"

"I don't think so," Drago said harshly, "he's my prisoner! I can do with him what I please!"

He turned back to Hiccup, setting the knife on his chest. Hiccup screamed while Drago cut his mark into his skin with a few swift movements of his wrist. Then the man stepped back to admire his work.

"Perfect," he muttered, then he turned to Wrenlou, "as for you... you two, take him up. It's time for his drink..."


	24. Escape

_Howdy folks, I'm back! Another new chapter... what will Drago do if he finds out... head will roll...people will die... isn't it glorious!_

 _Enjoy!_

* * *

 **Chapter 24. Escape**

Hiccup hung his head. He was cold, shivering and alone. Drago had taken Wrenlou hours ago, or so it seemed. The shouts of men and shrieks of dragons sounded all around him, and at this point he had no idea if it was day or night outside of his small, dark prison.

He failed to notice the stumbling footsteps that approached his door, his head snapping up when it was flung open. He gasped when Wrenlou stumbled into the cell, tripping over how own feet. He fell face down into the water, groaning while he slowly got up, a fresh bruise on his cheek. He was once again wearing the black armour, the metal now shimmering with water.

"Wren..." Hiccup said, "Wren what are you doing here?"

Wrenlou didn't answer, shaking his head and rubbing his eyes furiously. He didn't seem to notice how the cold water quickly filled his boots. He got up, his legs shaking and when he took a step closer he stumbled, almost tripping and he fell sideways against the wall, yelping.

"Wrenlou... are you alright?" Hiccup asked, shivering.

He finally looked at him and Hiccup gasped. Wrenlou's pupils were rapidly changing size, shifting between tiny pinpricks and fully dilated. He pushed away from the wall and pulled a key from his pocket, stumbling over. He almost fell twice, but the key remained in his hand, his grip on it so strong his knuckles were white. He managed to open the shackles that held Hiccup's arms and Hiccup fell forwards, sending both of them back into the freezing water.

"Wrenlou," Hiccup said, ignoring the pain and the cold, "Wren are you alright?"

He crawled over, but Wrenlou pushed him away, getting up again, his whole body now shaking.

"You... you must go," he said, "b...before he... comes back... before... I... I lose my mind..."

"I'm not going without you," Hiccup said, attempting to grab his arm.

"You must," Wrenlou said, pushing him away again, "Honey... s... she's on deck waiting for you.. it's dark, they let their guard down... Hiccup, this.. this is your only c...chance..."

"I can't leave you here..." Hiccup said, "I just can't."

"You don't have a choice," Wrenlou groaned, "it won't be long before... his drug takes full effect. If... if you bring me, I'll have no choice but to take you back. Hiccup... I can't... I can't hurt you again... I can't..."

Hiccup looked at him, seeing the despair and sorrow in his blue and green eyes. For a moment his pupils settled on normal, before shrinking drastically. Wrenlou whined, clawing at his head while he stumbled up the stairs that led them to the deck. Hiccup followed, having no other choice.

"Wren..." he pleaded, "please come with me."

Wrenlou looked back at him, shaking his head. "I can't. I'd put all of you in danger. I'd make you turn back. The risk is too great. Hurry... she's waiting over there..."

He pointed to the side and when Hiccup stuck his head around the corner he could the see amber Nadder waiting patiently. She chirped when she saw him and padded over. She looked relatively fine, a few cuts on her snout and some missing scales on her flank the only injuries.

"Go..." Wrenlou whispered, pushing him towards the dragon, "warn Berk. Hurry. You must hurry..."

"I can't leave you!" Hiccup protested as Honeycomb nuzzled his shoulder, "I can't!"

"You don't have a choice," Wrenlou said, stepping back, "go Hiccup... just go."

Hiccup opened his mouth to say something, but voices approached from around the corner, the flickering light of a torch betraying the guards had resumed their duty. He hurriedly climbed onto the Nadder's bare back, holding on to her spines.

"Wren..." he started, but Wrenlou shook his head.

"It'll be okay Hiccup," he said, forcing a smile, "just go. It will be okay."

Hiccup swallowed thickly and glanced at the sky. It was dark, no moon visible behind the clouds of smoke that rose from several furnaces and fires. He looked back at Wrenlou, then glanced at the nearing guards who hadn't seen them yet, and urged Honeycomb to fly up. Being the compliant, gentle creature she was she obeyed without hesitation, spreading her wings and flying into the night sky. He glanced back at the ship, the guards now rounding the corner and running into Wrenlou. They paid no attention to him and just pushed past him, continuing their patrol.

"No..." Hiccup mumbled, mustering everything to bite back the pain, "I'm not leaving you... I'm not..."

He swiftly turned Honeycomb and urged her to go faster. He flew past the mast and grabbed a loose rope, then he steered her towards Wrenlou, who had his back turned towards them. He didn't seem to notice them coming, but he turned around just before Hiccup knocked him unconscious, grabbed his collar and pulled him onto the dragon's back.

"Sorry 'bout the headache..." he mumbled, tying Wrenlou's wrists, "but we'll figure it out.. we'll make you better... Drago won't keep his hold on you. Come on girl, faster."

Honeycomb crooned and sped up, Drago's fleet disappearing into the dark. He leaned forward, holding Wrenlou against his chest, resting his head against the Nadder's back. He was fighting to stay conscious. But he felt weak and in pain, and he didn't know if he would make it to Berk.

"Come on Hiccup... stay awake," he mumbled, rubbing his eyes, "stay awake... Berk needs you... come on..."

they flew for what felt like hours, but finally the lights of Berk appeared in the distance. He breathed a sigh of relief and relaxed a little, knowing it was far from over. As soon as he landed he was surrounded from all sides, the Nadder chirping nervously. He was barely conscious, losing his grip on Wrenlou, but right before he fell into oblivion he heard a voice that snapped him out of it long enough to look around and get off the dragon without falling.

"Hiccup!" Astrid gasped, pushing through the crowd, "oh my gods, Hiccup!"

She caught him when he stumbled and fell, fighting to stay conscious. She cradled him in her arms, looking down at him with worry and fear shining in her eyes.

"What happened..." she asked softly, brushing hair from his face, "why is Wrenlou tied up?"

"D... Drago..." Hiccup gasped, forcing the words from his parched throat, "drugged... him..."

"Drugged him?" Astrid said, looking at Wrenlou's unconscious figure slumped on the Nadder's back, "why?"

"T... to con...trol him..." Hiccup whispered, weaving in and out of consciousness, "h... he controls him..."

"Controls him?" Astrid said, "what do you mean? Hiccup? What do you mean? Hiccup! Wake up!"

But Hiccup had lost consciousness, hanging limply in her arms. She looked from him to Wrenlou, still unconscious on the Nadder, who was standing patiently on the plaza.

"You two!" she shouted, pointing to two men close to her, "take Wrenlou to the prison and lock him up. If Drago can control him through that drug then I don't want him running around. Lets hope we can get him back to normal. You!" She pointed to a woman on her right, "take the Nadder to the stables and give that poor thing some chicken. Find a healer to look after her wounds. She deserves it. And someone get me a healer at the Haddock residence!"

She was about to get up, trying to lift Hiccup, when a hand stopped her. The moment she looked up she met eyes with Stoick, the Chief taking his son in his arms and carrying him to the house. She followed quickly, looking back to see the two men carry Wrenlou to the prison. She felt bad for him, guilty for locking him up like a common criminal, but she didn't want to risk Hiccup's life, or that of anyone else. Who knew what Drago had conditioned him to do. She just hoped that the drug would leave his system on his own, and that they would have the old Wrenlou back at their side.

Once inside the house Stoick had swiped everything off the table, laying Hiccup down on it. He was shivering, wearing nothing but his pants and a thin shirt stained with blood. She hoped it wasn't his own blood, but when the healers came and removed it, she saw to her grief that it was. She knew immediately that Drago had tortured him, the long cuts and the bruises on his chest betrayed that fact all too clear. There was a mark cut into his skin, just under his right shoulder, and she grabbed Hiccup's hand to hold when the healers began their work.

They cleaned and stitched the deepest cuts, and then turned him over to examine his back before they bandaged him. Astrid gasped at what she saw, the skin of Hiccup's back raw and bloody. She didn't need anyone telling her what Drago had done, and she didn't fight the tears that welled up in her eyes. Hiccup cried and groaned while the wounds were cleaned, never laying still but struggling to get away.

Finally the healers were done and they bandaged the wounds, leaving shortly after. Stoick carried Hiccup to his bed, carefully laying him down in it, tucking the blanket around him.

"Drago will pay for this," Stoick said through clenched teeth, "by the gods he will pay. Will you stay here with him? I will call a meeting to discuss what we have to do."

"I'll stay," Astrid said, "I won't leave him. Chief!" she called after Stoick as he was about to leave.

"Yes?" the man asked, turning around slightly.

"Wrenlou is in the prison," she said, "Drago drugged and brainwashed him somehow. I don't know if he'll be much help, but he might be able to provide some information as to what we can expect from Drago's army. Just, don't hurt him. It's not his fault. And I think a healer should check him out, Drago probably hurt him too."

"I will," Stoick said with a nod, then he disappeared, leaving Astrid alone with Hiccup.

She looked at him, still holding his hand. He was pale, breathing shallow but breathing, and she couldn't help but notice the dark blue bruises on his face. She kissed every single one she saw, cupping his cheek when she finished. He was burning up a little, and she quickly went downstairs to fetch a bowl of cold water and a cloth to hold to his forehead. She didn't want him to get a fever, not with an army that could potentially wipe them from the face of the planet. She needed him to fight, but they didn't know how long they had before Drago arrived. It could be days, weeks, maybe even months. But she also knew that hoping for that much time to prepare was a fools wish, and that it would be likely that Drago showed up on their doorstep somewhere within the next two weeks.

Sitting down in her chair again she dipped the cloth in the water, then placed it on Hiccup's forehead, shushing him softly when he groaned and tried to push her away. She held his hand with her free one, humming softly to calm him and get him to sleep.

"Astrid..." he groaned, shifting beneath the covers, "Astr..."

"Shh..." she said softly, running her fingers through his hair, "I'm here. It's okay. You're safe now, he won't hurt you again."

"Astrid..." he mumbled, but his voice faded away as he drifted into sleep, stilling again.

She stayed with him all night, replacing the cloth time and time again, fighting to get his rising fever down. By morning she was exhausted, but she still didn't leave her place at his side. She silently wished Wrenlou was here, to take over from her, to watch over Hiccup so she could sleep. She watched him for a while, his gentle breathing, his peaceful face, and then slowly stood up. She had made a decision. It was probably a bad decision based on foolish hope and luck, but she would go see if Wrenlou was back to normal yet. She knew that the chances were small, very small, but maybe she was lucky, and maybe the dose Drago had given him had been small as well.

At the door she met Stoick, the man looking as exhausted as she was, but he agreed to look after Hiccup while she went to see Wrenlou. She took a deep breath and stepped outside, the weak sun doing nothing to warm the cold air. She shivered and pulled her wool cloak tighter around her shoulder, walking down the steps. There was ice in the well, and it the water troughs of the animals. The puddles or murky rainwater had also frozen over night, making the streets a slippery hazard that slowed her down significantly.

When she finally reached the stone prison she was panting and she had to sit down and catch her breath. One of the guards gave her some water to drink, and she nodded in thanks, taking small sips of the cold liquid. When she felt confident her breathing was normal again, she stood up.

"I"m here to see Wrenlou," she said, "which cell is he?"

"You don't want to go in there ma'am," one of the guards said, "he's insane. Been screaming at us all night. Saying he'll kill us."

"Could you please tell me which cell he is in, Ulrik," she said, her voice firm, "I just have to see how he is."

The man nodded and took his axe, opening the door to the prison and leading her inside.

"He's in the last one," he said, pointing, "please be careful miss Hofferson, I don't want to see you hurt. And I think the Chief agrees."

She nodded curtly and walked into the dimly lit corridor. She walked passed the cells that had held the trappers before, some clothes still laying on the stone bunks. When she reached the last one she was hesitant to look inside, not knowing what she'd find, but the only one inside was the dark figure, his right hand chained to the wall, his head down. He was asleep, or unconscious, she didn't know, and she approached the barred door.

"Wrenlou?" she asked softly, "Wrenlou, it's me.. Astrid."

The man looked up slowly, his eyes dark and filled with hatred. Even though she knew it was Drago's doing, the look on his face still shocked her, and she stepped back.

"Wrenlou...?" she asked again, "you remember me, right? It's Astrid... Hiccup's fiancee... do you remember Hiccup...?"

He growled, standing up slowly. "When Drago comes," he said, his voice trembling, "I'll kill every single one of you! That includes you, your stupid fiancee and your stupid baby! I'll kill you! Berk will fall!"

She stepped back again, staring in shock. Even if he didn't mean them, and even if he didn't know what he was saying, the words hurt. They cut through her soul like knifes, leaving her shocked, hurt and disgusted.

"This isn't you..." she whispered, "it isn't. I don't know what he's done to you, but I hope you'll come back to us soon Wrenlou."

Before he could answer she turned and left, walking out with one hand on her belly. The baby within was almost full term, and she dreaded the idea of her child being born while Drago raided Berk. She exited the prison, not speaking to the guards but a simple nod and headed back to Hiccup, Wrenlou's words ringing in her mind.


	25. Closing In

_Good afternoon my lovely friends, or good morning, depending on what time and what place you are in of course,  
Here's another update for you guys. Did you know I'm almost at 200 pages? When I hit 200 pages in ROTDR, I had close a 40 chapters! Granted, these chapters are all twice that long, sometimes even more! But 200 pages you guys, that's still a lot._

 _Anyway, I hope you like it, please review, I absolutely love it when you do that, and tell all your friends!  
_

 _Enjoy!_

* * *

 **Chapter 25. Closing In**

He traced the line he had drawn on the map and shook his head. He knew the time to sail for Berk was drawing near, but he wanted to put it off as long as possible. At least until they had found the nest that was said to be in these parts. He traced another line on the map, this one going the opposite direction, but immediately he shook his head, erasing it.

"We searched that..." he growled lowly, "it's not in the north... then where is it... where is it!"

"Sir?" Mutt asked as he entered, "is it really that important that we find the nest before we take Berk?"

"I"m not taking ant chances with these people Mutt," Drago growled, "they have dragons on their side. I want to be prepared for anything. I need more dragons... I need to find the nest!"

Mutt nodded quietly, coming over. "I have your medicine sir," he said, "for the pain?"

He glanced at the small bottle the young man had set on the table and nodded curtly. He gently touched the red and swollen stump of his arm. He didn't want anyone to know that the pain in his arm had become unbearable.

"Thank you..." he said, quickly downing the bottle's contents. "Mutt my boy, can you bring me the Berkian?"

"The prisoner sir?" Mutt asked, but Drago shook his head while he grabbed his dragon skin cloak.

"The other one. The one we found adrift."

"Certainly sir, but sir, I doubt he knows where the nest is," Mutt said.

"Maybe..." Drago mumbled, "don't forget, he has been drifting for months. And he lived on this... island..."

He jabbed the red cross on the map. Thick, black letters underneath labeled it as Berk, and he glared at it with hatred.

"I'll fetch the man for you sir," Mutt said with a short bow, "it may take some time, you send him to another ship."

"Yes yes, I remember," Drago mumbled, waving at him dismissively, "just hurry."

Mutt left and he sighed deeply, sitting down once again. He studied the map intently, tracing lines and erasing them, crossing islands off the list and adding others. Eventually he became frustrated and got up, staring out the small window.

"Where did you hide it..." he mumbled, "where...I will find it... you can't hide it forever. I found you, I can find the nest you were protecting... "

He turned around, glancing at the mask that was on his wall. He let a finger glide over one of the long horns, chuckling darkly.

"You did a good job protecting it..." he grumbled, "but now that you're gone..."

He turned to the map, about to draw another line when the door slammed open and a sweaty, panting soldier tumbled in. he growled, already reaching for the dagger that was laying on the table, getting in increasingly annoyed when the man was gasping for breath instead of telling him why he had so rudely invaded his personal space.

"Well!?" he eventually demanded, "what are you doing here! And you better have a good reason or I'll feed you to the dragons!"

"Sir!" the man yelped, straightening his back, "the prisoner has escaped, sir!"

"He... what?" he asked, not believing what he heard, "he escaped!? How could that happen! You useless moron! You," he pointed the dagger at the trembling man, "get me the rider. Fast."

The man looks down, shuffling nervously and Drago growled.

"Speak up! What is it now!"

"Sir... the rider is gone too... sir..."

For a moment Drago just stared at the man, who grew increasingly nervous the longer his leader's dark stare was upon him. Drago slowly walked around the table, the dagger in his hand, and he stood over the man, glaring at him coldly.

"What did you just say?" he asked, his voice low, "I must have misheard you. I believe you said that the rider was gone as well? But that wasn't what you said, was it?"

"I...it was... sir..." the man stammered nervously, "we've looked all over sir... they're nowhere to be found. A...and sir... we're missing a dragon too... one of the..."

Before the man could answer Drago had thrust his arm forwards, driving the dagger into the man's chest. He twisted it, the man's eyes wide with shock as he sank to the ground, the blood quickly pooling around him.

"Better not be the White Night Fury," he growled as he wiped the blood of his blade, using the dying man's own tunic, "she's too important for my cause..."

He stepped over the man, ignoring his gurgling breaths as he walked out, slamming the door. He stomped up the stairs and onto the deck, the men present there freezing when they saw the dark look on his face. He glared at them, pacing for a bit, before turning to them.

"It has come to my attention that you imbeciles have let the prisoner escape," he said, watching as some of the men grew nervous, "and that those same idiots have somehow managed to lose my rider, and a dragon! Now, I will spare your miserable lives if any one of you can tell me this. Is the Night Fury still here?"

"She is sir," one of the men said, stepping forward, "he took a Nadder. The honey coloured one?"

"Did he now..." Drago said, walking closer to the man, "well... lucky for you then... isn't it..."

The man gulped and looked down, stepping back. Drago growled a little, turning to the rest of the crew.

"No more waiting!" he shouted, "we sail for Berk, now! Alert the fleet, ready the dragons!"

The men mumbled and nodded, cheering when he repeated his words. Hurried footsteps rushed over the deck

"Sail out!" he shouted, "let's crush them."

0-0-0-0-0-0

She sighed deeply as she watched Hiccup sleep. It had only been a day since he had returned with Wrenlou, and he had been sleeping ever since. The last time she had seen Wrenlou he was still under the influence of the drug Drago gave him. She hadn't gone back since, and Stoick had ordered that no one was to go near the cell he was being kept in. they had still no idea what Drago had given him, and if there was an antidote to it. She sighed again, restless while Hiccup lay unconscious. She was so caught up in her thinking that she didn't notice the heavy footsteps that came towards the door. She only noticed when it opened and Stoick came in, his face concerned.

"Any change?" he asked, sitting next to her.

She shook her head, looking down. "He's been asleep the whole night. I suppose that's good... he needs his rest."

"I heard you went to see Wrenlou last night," Stoick said, "how was he?"

"He... threatened to kill me," Astrid said, "whatever Drago did, it doesn't just wear off. I hope it's not permanent..."

Stoick nodded, opening his mouth to say something, when Hiccup groaned. They looked at him, Astrid moving closer, taking his hand.

"Hiccup? Can you hear me?" she asked softly, "Hiccup?"

He groaned again, opening his eyes a little, looking up at her.

"As... Astrid...?"

"It's me... I'm here..." she whispered, stroking his hair, "it's okay..."

"N...no..." he said, trying to sit up, "it's not o...okay...Drago... he...he's coming... here... He knows... everything..."

"Shh... we know..." she said softly, "we're preparing the village for war. Our scouts told us he's at least a week away. His army may be big, but it is slow. We have time to ready ourselves. Lay down... rest... get your strength back."

"W...where's Toothless..." Hiccup asked, looking up at them, "i...is he..."

"He's safe," Astrid assured him, "really. I believe he's downstairs."

She looked at Stoick and the man nodded, understanding her unasked question. He stood up and walked down the stairs, and not much later the door was flung open and Toothless raced in.

"He's been pretty miserable lately," Astrid said, watching how the dragon ran around the bed to Hiccup's other side to nuzzle his arm, "he was worried, just like I was. And he missed you."

"I missed him too..." Hiccup said, rubbing the dragon's nose, "I was afraid that Drago..."

She shook her head. "He wanted to go and find you, but we managed to convince him he would only do more harm if he got captured too. He hasn't been eating anything though. Not since you disappeared."

"It was Wren..." Hiccup mumbled, "he took me... Drago and his stupid drug... Is he still... Where is he?"

"He's in prison..." she said, looking down, "he's still under the influence of it. I don't even know... if it will wear off..."

"There's an antidote," Hiccup said, "Drago gave it to him... I just... don't know what it is..."

"We'll worry about that later," Astrid said, taking a bowl of soup, "you have to eat something. And then the healer will change the bandages."

He groans a little, but nods, pushing himself into a sitting position. She helped him, fluffing the pillows and tucking them behind his back. She then took the bowl again and started feeding him the soup, careful not to spill anything. While he was eating the healer came in, setting her supplies on the bedside table.

"It's good to see you awake," she said, smiling, "how are you?"

"I've been better..." Hiccup said, "but I've been worse too. It doesn't really hurt that bad."

"What's because you have a lot of painkillers in your system at the moment. You'll have to stay in bed for a few days," the healer said, "so you can get your strength back, recover some."

He sighed, opening his mouth to protest, but he cringed when a sharp pain shot through his back, and decided not to argue. Astrid put the bowl aside, sighing a little.

"Alright..." she said, "we need you to lay on your stomach."

He nodded a little and turned onto his stomach with some help from Astrid. She made sure he was comfortable, then she and the healer started to take the bandages off.

"It's healing nicely," the healer said, "with a few days you should be well enough to get ready for war. Astrid, can you put this on the wounds?"

"Of course," he heard Astrid say, then he felt her hand on his shoulder, "stay still okay? It may sting a little, but it is to prevent infection."

He nodded, and he heard how she opened a bottle. He expected a cold liquid to be poured on his back, but it was a pleasant warmth. It stung in the wounds, but soon numbed the pain that flared up. He groaned at first, but then relaxed, looking at Astrid from the corner of his eyes. She caught him watching her, and smiled at him, cleaning her hands.

"Does it hurt?" she asked, "it looks like it does..."

She looked down on his back, seeing the welts and cuts criss crossing his skin. Most of the larger cuts had been stitched, a few small beads of blood pushing their way out between the thread. There were dark bruises covering his torso, his chest as well as his back and even some on his arms. She knew he had been punched in the face, as there was a large bruise on his left cheek. There were some smaller cuts, little scrapes from where his back had been forced against the wall. Now that she looked at the wounds closely, she noticed that some were different. Some looked more torn, larger.

"It's not so bad now," he said, laying still as the healer bandaged the wounds again, "and it was much worse after Rome anyway..."

She nodded quietly, finding the wounds bad enough as they were, and she found herself unable to imagine what it had been like after Rome. She waited until the healer had left after giving her some more instructions, and when she was alone with her future husband, she sat down next to him, tucking the blanket around his body.

"Hiccup..." she started, hesitant, and he looked up at her, "why... why are some different?"

He frowned, a puzzled look on his face. "Different? What do you mean? What is different?"

"The... wounds," she said, taking his hand when his face fell, "some are different..."

Hiccup looked down, tears gleaming in his eyes. "Wren..." he whispered almost inaudible, before breaking down in tears. He buried his face in the pillow, his body shaking.

Astrid frowned, looking down on him. "Wren...?" she mumbled, "wait... do you mean... Wren did this to you?"

He wailed, not answering, curling up further as if he tried to hide from the world. She stared for a moment, horrified, then she felt her anger boil. She stood up, her fist clenching.

"If he hurt you," she said, looking down on Hiccup, "he'll pay..."

"N...no..." Hiccup snuffled, looking up, "y...you don't understand..."

"Oh I think I do understand," Astrid hissed, "Toothless, don't let him out of your sight. Not even for one second. I'll be back."

She turned to leave when a hand grabbed her arm and when she looked back at Hiccup, she saw that he was holding her arm, looking at her pleadingly.

"Please stay..." he whispered, his voice trembling, his face wet from tears, "please..."

She took a deep breath, relaxing her hand and pushing her anger to the side. Then she came back, sitting next to him again, stroking his hair.

"Alright..." she said softly, "I'll stay... move over Dragon Boy... let a pregnant woman rest."

He snuffed and smiled weakly, carefully moving to the edge of the bed to make room for her. She pulled her boots of and set them down, slipping under the covers, wrapping an arm around him. She wiped the tears from his cheeks, kissing the tip of his nose gently.

"It'll be okay..." she said softly, "you'll see. It will be okay..."

"How..." he whispered, "how... Drago is coming... Wren is under his influence, Snowflake fights at his side. He can control dragons somehow Astrid, he just... he has a massive army... we will be overrun."

"But we have something he has not," she said.

"If you say that something is me I might slap you," he grumbled.

She chuckled a little, lightly flicking his nose. "I wasn't going to. No, I mean dragons who choose to fight with us, dragons who are our friends. We have friends, family and loved ones to fight for. What does he fight for. What drives him. What made him the man he is..."

"Honestly? I don't know..." Hiccup mumbled, "no one ever told me... Drago himself certainly didn't say anything about his past. I have no idea what made him go this mad... or why he wan't to control the world so bad. And I certainly don't know why he hates dragons, or dragon riders so much."

She was silent for a moment. "A lot of villages have suffered under the dragons raids," she said eventually, "maybe his village was raided as well. Do you think that's the reason he hates them?"

"I dunno..." Hiccup mumbled, shivering a little, "I don't..."

She gently kissed his forehead, wrapping the blanket around him. "Go to sleep love," she said softly, "you need to recover. If Drago is on the way you're going to need your strength."

He nodded a little, snuggling close to her as he closed his eyes. She stayed with him, listening to his breathing, staying until she was sure he was fast asleep. Then she slipped out of bed, rearranging the blankets around him snugly and pulled her boots back on. She was determined to go talk to Wrenlou again and get some answers.

"Stay here okay Toothless?" she said softly, rubbing the dragon's black scales, "and when something happens, you come and get me.

As she walked out of the house she let her anger flame up again, her fist once again clenching. She walked towards the prison, stopping to catch her breath before she confronted Wrenlou.

"Miss Hofferson," one of the guards, a young man she knew as Björn, stepped forward, giving a small bow, "I must advice you that it isn't wise to enter. He's still not back to his normal self."

"I have to talk to him," she said, straightening her back, "I have to. I understand this is hard for you, he did save your life after all, but I have to speak with him."

The man looked down, running a hand through his dirty blonde hair, then he glanced at his partner. The other man shrugged and opened the door for her, and Björn nodded, stepping aside as well.

"Be careful Miss Hofferson," he said, "don't go into the cell. He's... savage."

She nodded curtly to the two men and walked in, going straight to the last cell, standing outside the door. She glared at the still figure opposite to her, waiting for him to notice her. It took a while, but when he did his eyes darkened and he slowly got up, walking over to the door, the chain around his wrist stopping him half way.

"If it isn't the lovely Astrid," he sneered, his voice cold as ice, "what can I do for you today, _Milady._ "

She shuddered. The way he used Hiccup's endearment for her had shivers running down her spine. She composed herself, telling herself he wouldn't see her weakness, and took a step forward, one hand grasping the metal bars.

"You whipped Hiccup," she said, and it wasn't a question.

He raised an eyebrow, studying his fingers, almost as if he was already bored with her. "Did I?" he retorted, "and what if I did... why do you care..."

"He's your _friend!_ " she said, "you said you'd never hurt him!"

"Oh boohoo," he said, glaring at her, "I did... I hurt him... I whipped him... and I whipped him good... you should have heard his screams... he squealed like a little girl. It was absolutely glorious."

She gasped, shocked by his words and he cast her a glance, his mouth splitting in a savage grin. Suddenly he was close to her, pulling the chain as far as it would go, and she was unable to look away from him. His eyes were wild, dark, the grin that of a mad man.

"I'd do it again if I could," he said softly, his voice a mere whisper, "and the next time, I'll do twenty... thirty... a hundred! And by the gods, will it be wonderfully bloody..."

"You won't touch him again!" she yelled, "you hear me!? I won't let you!"

"Oh I wouldn't be too sure about that, sweetheart," he chuckled, retreating to the back of the cell, "Drago will come, and when he does..."

She didn't listen to the rest he said. She turned and left as quickly as she could. Her heart was pounding in her chest, almost as if it was trying to break free from the confines of her ribcage. Her head was spinning with his words, and she couldn't shake the feeling the look on his face had given her. She had no way of knowing if what he said was true, she didn't know how far the influence of the drug went, and if it was even Wrenlou saying those things or if it was still Drago speaking through him.

The guards called her name but she ignored them. She hurried back to Hiccup, desperate to make sure he was still safe, still asleep with Toothless at his side. She pushed the door to his room open, sighing in relief when she found he hadn't moved, that he was still asleep. She leaned against the wall, just watching him while she tried to forget Wrenlou's words.

She slowly walked over, sitting on the edge of the bed. Toothless crooned softly and she looked at the dragon.

"It's gonna be a massacre Toothless," she said, "we'll have to use everything we've got, or we'll all die..."


	26. The Beginning of the End

_Hi guys, sorry for not updating in a while. Besides having Christmas stress (I still need to get so many presents and so little time!) I'm battling something that might very well be the flu at the moment, so I'm sorry of this chapter seems strange. I did my best for you guys because you deserve an update. My next update will likely be after Christmas, so Merry Christmas, or whatever you celebrate this time of year, and I'll see you all at the next update! Stay awesome guys! Love you all!_

 _Enjoy!_

* * *

 **Chapter 26. The Beginning of the End**

"Astrid...?" Hiccup asked softly, "what happened to Wrenlou? Where is he?"

She sighed as she walked over, setting the bowl on the bed side table. "He's still in his cell," she said softly, "he's been there since you got back."

"I have to go talk to him..." Hiccup muttered, making a move to get up.

She shook her head, pushing him back down again and readjusting the blankets. "No. You need to rest. It's been only five days. You're still injured and I'm telling you to stay here."

"Astrid..." he started, but she hushed him.

"You will stay here," she said, "please... please Hiccup... Wrenlou was still under the influence of that drug last I saw him. He's not the one you know at the moment. He's... he's a savage who wants to kill us all. And Drago is still on the way... you need all the strength you can possible have if you want to fight him in your condition."

He sighed, staring at the blankets. "Drago..." he mumbled, "how far out is he."

"We're not certain," she said as she sat down next to him, "but he's not yet reached our outposts. Even then he can't be far away. Hiccup... how big is his army?"

"Massive," he said, taking her hand and stroking the ring on her finger, "huge... dragons, men, they all fight for him. But there's more... he... uses dragons. He has them enslaved. They're... just like tools to him, nothing more."

"How... how can he do this," she asked, looking at him with a flicker of fear in her eyes.

"I don't know," he shook his head, looking down, "I really don't. Maybe the same way he controls Wren, with some drug he gives them. But even then... to control such a large group... Astrid, when he attacks, I want you to stay in the Hall with the healers, with Aminda and her students."

"Hiccup no," she protested, "I'll stay with you. I want to stay with you."

"Astrid..." he said and he took her hands, squeezing them lightly, "believe me when I want you as close as possible. But this isn't a matter of pride, or honour, it's about you... both of you... I wouldn't know what to do if I lost either of you. I'm asking you to stay in the Hall so I know you are safe, you and the baby. Promise me Astrid, promise me you'll stay with Aminda. Besides... they can use all the help they can get..."

She sighed deeply, but eventually nodded. He smiled weakly and pulled her into his arms, kissing her lightly.

"Stay with me... Milady..." he whispered in her ear, pulling her hair free from the confines of its braid, "stay with me..."

She smiled back, shaking her hair loose, letting it flow down her shoulders as she slipped out of her boots and spiked skirt and slipped under the blankets with him. He glanced at it, then looked up at her.

"You might want to reconsider wearing that when the baby is born," he said with a soft smile.

She frowned and looks at it as well. "What else am I to wear?" she asked, "nothing?"

"Wha... no of course not!" he said, "but surely you have one that isn't that... spiky? I don't want our baby to get hurt..."

"I'll have one made..." she said, "just for you."

"No, not for me, for you," he said, frowning, "so the baby..."

"Oh shush..." she whispered, "I know what you mean..."

She rested her head on his chest as she had done many times before, but it was different now. The impending war that hung over then was pressing down on all of them, and she sighed softly as she ran a hand over his bandages. He didn't seem to notice, running his hand through her hair.

"You are the most beautiful woman I've ever seen..." he mumbled, "and I've seen a few... in my explorations..."

"Hiccup Haddock," she said, lightly teasing him, "have you been with other women before me?"

"No! Yes... maybe..."he muttered, his face turning red, "just one... but I've seen many... gods Astrid, why do you always do this to me," he groaned when he saw the smirk on her face, "always..."

"Rest..." she said, kissing his cheek, "just rest..."

"How can I..." he muttered, "a war brewing... my baby coming...my best friend a deranged madman..."

"I know," she said, "it won't be easy. But you need rest... you need to heal, you need to be strong... for when he does come."

"I'll try... Milady," he said softly, "for you."

0-0-0-0-0

"And where do you think you're going?" Astrid asked as she walked in, "you belong in bed!"

"I'm going to see Wren," Hiccup said, straightening his tunic, "it's been a week, he must be back to his normal self by now."

"Hiccup..." she said, grabbing his arm as he turned to leave, "what if he isn't?"

"Then... then I don't know..." he said, looking down, "Astrid, call a meeting in the Hall. I want to discuss our strategy and inform them on how big Drago's crew really is. I'm going to see Wren, then I'll join you."

She sighed but nodded, accompanying him downstairs. When his foot touched the floor a black flash raced towards him, and Toothless covered him in licks.

"I missed you too bud..." Hiccup smiled, "even though I was upstairs and you could have come..."

The dragon warbled and licked him again. He sat back when Hiccup pushed him away again.

"Stay close alright bud?" he said, rubbing the black snout, "we have something to do..."

The dragon crooned and followed him closely. He left the house, trying to ignore the people that called out to him, wanting to know what happened. Toothless growled when they came too close and that helped him get to the prison relatively unbothered.

"Hiccup," one of the guards said with a smile, "it's good to see you up and about. What brings you here?"

"I need to speak with Wrenlou," he said, glancing at Toothless as the dragon sat down.

"I'm sorry, but I cannot allow it," the guard said, "orders of the Chief. He's dangerous."

"Wren? Dangerous?" Hiccup asked, "how..."

"We don't know sir," the other guard said, "he's been in there screaming for days. He just quieted down but we don't dare look. The things he said... horrible things."

"Screaming?" Hiccup asked, a flash of concern on his face, "why? Didn't anyone check on him at all?"

"Well... no..." the guard said, exchanging a glance with his comrade, "we weren't allowed."

"Open the bloody door and let me in," Hiccup grumbled, "that's an order."

The two guards glanced at each other and nodded, stepping aside and opening the door to let him in. he nodded shortly while he walked past them, Toothless staying behind. He shuddered a little as he walked through the dimly lit hallway, the cold of the approaching winter creeping into his bones. He glanced into every cell, stopping when he reached the last. Wrenlou was curled up in a corner, tremors shaking his body. Hiccup watched for a moment, then he slowly approached the bars.

"Wren?" he called out hesitantly, "is that you...?"

Wrenlou slowly looks up, his bloodshot eyes widening when they met Hiccup's. He sobbed once before turning away, mumbling something incoherently.

"Wren, it's me," Hiccup said, "you remember me right? It's Hiccup..."

Wrenlou shook his head a little and didn't answer. Hiccup frowned, quickly retrieving the key to open the door. Wrenlou flinched as it opened with a shriek, but didn't look up when Hiccup knelt in front of him.

"Wren... look at me, please," Hiccup asked softly, placing a hand on his shoulder.

Wrenlou shook his head, trying to pull away but the chain around his wrist prevented him from getting very far. Hiccup frowned and moved closer.

"Why not..." he asked softly, trying to lift Wrenlou's head, "it's okay... please just look at me."

"H...how can I..." Wrenlou whispered, "a...after..."

"After what he made you do?" Hiccup said, sitting down, "look... I know he forced you... and to be honest, I'm glad it was you."

Wrenlou looked up, shock and disbelief in his blue and green eyes. "Glad...? How... how can you be glad about that..."

"Well," Hiccup started, "the way I see it, they would have had no restraint in doing it. They probably would have... done more damage... while you tried to make it as painless as you could. And I would have done the same, if Toothless' life had been in danger like that. Look Wren, you've been through a lot the past few weeks, I don't blame you for anything."

Wrenlou snuffed as tears burned in his eyes. "Y...you really mean that...?" he whispered, "you're not angry...?"

Hiccup shook his head, gently wiping a tear away. "Never," he said while he unlocked the chain around Wrenlou's wrist, "I could never be angry at you. He gave you a terrible choice. In fact, it wasn't even much of a choice at all. He must have known you would never let Snow die. He's evil Wren, it's his fault this happened, not yours."

"Drago... is he..." Wrenlou started.

"He's not here yet," Hiccup said as he sat down again, "but we suspect he's close. It won't be long now... before the war starts..."

Wrenlou nodded a little, staring at the ground. Hiccup sat silently for a while, before grabbing Wrenlou's shoulder, causing him to look up.

"It is you right?" he asked, "no more drug? It's all gone?"

"Y...yes..." Wrenlou said, "I think so..."

"Good..." Hiccup mumbled, "that's good... The guards say you were screaming... why?"

"It... hurt," Wrenlou said, his voice becoming more his own, "when it wore off. It felt like... being stabbed over and over and over... unrelenting pain. It just... wouldn't stop..."

"But it's gone now?" Hiccup asked and smiled weakly when Wrenlou nodded, "good..."

"Hiccup..." Wrenlou said softly, "he made me do... terrible things..."

"I know..." Hiccup started, but Wrenlou cut him off.

"No you don't know!" he yelled, tears burning, "you don't... you can't..."

Hiccup frowned, moving closer. "Do you want to tell me?"

"You'll hate me if I do..." Wrenlou mumbled, "I hate me."

"I won't hate you," Hiccup said with a soft smile, "I promise I won't. I could never hate you, okay?"

Wrenlou glanced at him and nodded a little. "There... there was a village... I'm not sure where, but it had... I think it had attacked one of his ships and defeated it... somehow... Hiccup... he made me go there with an armed force of dragons and... and... he made me destroy it..."

"He did what...?" Hiccup asked, shocked, "he made you... destroy it...?"

Wrenlou nodded, looking at the ground. "I tried to fight it... I tried. But I couldn't... I was screaming so loud and no one heard me... I couldn't stop it... they died... they died Hiccup, and I killed them... I'm a monster... I deserve to be in here."

"No... of course not..." Hiccup said softly, wrapping an arm around Wrenlou's shoulders, "he deserves to be here. It wasn't your fault, it was his. You couldn't help it."

"They don't know that," Wrenlou mumbled, "the village. The way they looked at me... pure hatred... they hate me. And why won't they. I killed their loved ones and destroyed their village."

Hiccup didn't answer, just staring at the door. Silence filled the small cell, to be broken by Hiccup as he stood up.

"I'm going to get you some food," he said, going to the door, "something tells me you haven't eaten in a while."

Wrenlou nodded but Hiccup was already gone. He came back not long after, carrying a basket in one hand and a bottle in the other. He put both items down on the bunk, gesturing him over.

"Come. Eat something," he said, taking out some bread and chicken, "you'll need your strength when Drago comes."

Wrenlou looked at him and slowly got up, stumbling as he went over to where Hiccup sat. He stared at the food for a moment, before looking up to meet his eyes.

"He will come... won't he," he asked softly, and Hiccup nodded solemnly, "with Snow... we'll have to fight Snow... Hiccup, what if she gets killed by one of us... I couldn't... I don't..."

"I'll do anything in my power to prevent that," Hiccup assured him, putting some of the meat in his hand, "now eat. And when you're done I want you to come to the Great Hall. We're calling a meeting to discuss our strategy when Drago comes, and I'm sure you have information that could be useful."

"You... trust me?" Wrenlou asked, finally giving into hunger and digging into the food, "what about the others?"

"They will listen to me," Hiccup said, "and if I tell them you're back to being you they will believe me."

He nodded and took a sip from the bottle. Hiccup said nothing for a while, just watching as Wrenlou finished the first meal he had in days.

"Broghan is here," he said eventually, "arrived not too long ago, if I remember correctly. He says you sent him a letter, right after Snowflake was taken?"

"I did," Wrenlou said, then he looked down, "I just doomed them too... I dragged them into a war we most likely won't even win. I condemned them to death..."

"Of course you didn't," Hiccup said while he got up, "they came willingly. And they know the risk. They choose to stay. You haven't condemned anyone. Now, take all the time you need to compose yourself, then come to the Hall, okay? I'll take the guards with me."

"I don't know..." Wrenlou said, "I don't think they'll trust me after... what I did to you."

"They don't know," Hiccup said with a chuckle, "the only ones who know you did it are Astrid and my father. The others don't know and never will."

"Astrid..." he mumbled, "she was here, I remember. She wanted to know if it was true... I told her... horrible things... I hope she can forgive me, someday."

"She will," Hiccup said, "I'll see to that. Great Hall when you're ready, okay?"

Wrenlou nodded, a faint smile tucking at the corners of his mouth. "Thank you..."

Hiccup simply nodded and left, leaving the door open. When he stepped outside Toothless came running up to him, bounding around him like a playful puppy.

"Come on guys," he said to the guards, "your service will no longer be needed. I want you to go to the Hall and join the briefing, I'll be there momentarily."

The guards shared confused glances but when he repeated his request they left. He sighed a little, running a hand through his hair, contemplating waiting for Wrenlou, but when Toothless nudged him away from the prison and towards the Hall he simply went with it.

"Hiccup! There you are!" Astrid called as he walked up the steps to the Hall, "I was starting to get worried."

"Don't be," he said with a chuckle, "I'm okay. Wrenlou is back to his old self, so that's good too. He'll be joining us shortly."

"You let him out?" Astrid asked in disbelief, "after what he did?"

"It wasn't his fault Astrid," Hiccup said, taking her hands, "you should be mad at Drago for making him to those things, not at Wren for having no choice."

"How can you say that..." she asked, "after... he whipped you..."

"Drago made him do it," he said, "do you think he wanted to do that? Do you think he liked it? Anything he told you was the drug talking, they were Drago's words, not his. He regrets what happened more than anyone, believe. Besides, had Drago or one of his men done it himself it might have been worse."

She grumbled a little, clearly not quite believing it. He smiled and gently lifted her chin with his thumb, looking into her eyes.

"Do not worry about me Milady," he said, kissing her cheek, "I will be alright."

She sighed and nodded a little, taking his hand in hers. She ran a finger over the rough callouses and scars on his palm, studying the worn lines of his skin.

"I can't help but worry..." she said softly, "I just don't want to lose you again."

"That will never happen," Hiccup said warmly, "I promise."

She looked up at him, opening her mouth to say something, but before she could something caught her eye.

"I thought you said Wrenlou was back to his normal self?" she asked, looking at Hiccup.

"He is, why?" Hiccup asked, looking back at her.

"Because that's him, leaving on Honeycomb!" Astrid nearly yelled and she pointed to the place where the amber Nadder had just taken flight.

Hiccup gasped when he saw the dragon leave, running to catch up. Before he could reach them the dragon and the figure on her back had disappeared into the clouds.

"I don't understand..." Hiccup said, "he... he was himself again... he was normal, I know he was..."

"Apparently he wasn't," Astrid said angrily, "he tricked you Hiccup, he played you. It seems that the drug will never wear off. We've lost him, face it. He's no longer on our side."

"No..." Hiccup mumbled, "he is on our side... he can't be lost... he didn't trick me.. he wouldn't, would he...?

"Face it, he tricked you," she said, "I should have known this wouldn't end well. I should have stopped you from going there! Now he's free and going back to Drago!"

"You don't know that..." Hiccup said, squinting as he moved closer to the ocean, "and besides, it doesn't matter if he played me or not... we have a much bigger problem."

"What's that supposed to mean!" Astrid said loudly, but he hushed her, pointing at the horizon.

She frowned and moved closer, squinting as he had, and when she saw what he meant her eyes widened. There were faint silhouettes in the fog that covered the water. Silhouettes of ships, black ships.

"Is that..." she gasped, and Hiccup nodded grimly.

"Drago is here," he said, "he's here. We've run out of time. Drago has arrived. We have a day, at most, before he reaches our shores. We are at war now."


	27. Requiem of Battle

_Hello my dear readers,_

 _This was a chapter with so many hiccups I lost count. First there were the holidays, then I got sick, then I deleted half the chapter on accident (incredibly stupid, I know), then I got a new job and needed some time to settle in there... but here it is. Finally. It's all coming together now.  
Let me know what you think of it! I'd love to hear your thoughts on my little masterpiece!  
_

 _Enjoy!_

* * *

 **Chapter 27. Requiem of Battle**

Hiccup shuddered, staring at the dark ships in the distance. Astrid moved closer, taking his arm and pressing against his side.

"Should we send scouts?" she asked, "to see how big his fleet truly is?"

"No, Hiccup said as he turned around, "too dangerous. You've seen what he did to Wrenlou. He does the same to dragons. Scouts wouldn't be safe. None of us are safe... Besides, I've seen his fleet. I've seen how big it is. We don't stand a chance."

"We better get ready," she said, straightening her back a little, "I will..."

"...Go to Aminda and the other healers in the Hall," he interrupted her, taking her hands, "Astrid, you promised me."

She looked down, but nodded, wrapping her arms around him tightly.

"I want you back in one piece..." she whispered, "you hear me? One piece and alive..."

"Hey now..." Hiccup said with a faint smile, looking down at her, "they aren't here yet. You will see me again before they arrive, I promise. I'll come by to make sure you're alright."

"You shouldn't be fighting..." she said, not letting go, "not in your condition."

"I have no choice," he whispered, pulling away from her grip, "I don't... he's after Toothless... you saw what he did to Wren. And I can't let him destroy Berk... I can't."

She looked up at him, fear in her eyes as he brushed a strand of hair from her forehead. All around them the shouts of alarmed Vikings rang through the air, and Berk was finally realising the imminent danger it was in. the horn normally used to warm for incoming dragon raids rang out for the first time in a year and when they looked over they saw Gobber trying his best to blow as hard as he could.

"Go..." he said, "I'll be alright. Don't worry about me."

"You know I will," Astrid said, letting his hand slip from hers, "no matter what you do I worry. Be safe Hiccup, please. I love you."

"And you, Milady," he said with a faint smile, making a small bow before turning and running to the forge, Toothless close behind.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

The air was thick with tension as they watched the ships come closer. The giant flock of armoured dragons hovering above the vessels made it impossible for them to get close, so they had no way of stopping the armada. All they could do was wait, and watch the ominous ships come closer. Hiccup shuddered, glancing to his right, where Broghan, Leila and the twins stood, their dragons at their side. His cousin was to his left, next to Fishlegs, Ruffnut and Tuffnut. Stoick was near the edge of the cliff, his axe in his hands, with Gobber next to him. The dragons had settled on the roofs of the houses, forming a blanket of scales on the roofs of Berk.

Silence hung over them, the occasion _clang_ of metal or the rustling of a dragon's wings the only sounds. As the fleet drew closer they could hear other sounds coming over the water. Dragons screeching, the sounds of metal, the growls and roars of the flock accompanying the ship. Broghan moved closer, nudging him lightly.

"Shouldn't we be down there?" he asked, "wait for them there?"

Hiccup shook his head. "Let them come up here," he said, "down there we'll be backed against the rockface of the cliff. We'd be trapped, slaughtered. Up here they're backed against the cliff, with a little luck we can push them over. And we can retreat into the village, or the forest, making it difficult for them to find us. We know these parts, they do not. Up here we have the advantage."

"Huh... I hadn't thought of that..." Broghan mumbled, readjusting his chest plate, "I guess I'll leave the tactical planning to you. As you said, you know this place."

Hiccup nodded some, tightening his grip on the sword. "I just hope... I hope we'll be able to drive them off..."

Broghan nodded in agreement, glancing at the dragons. "We have them," he said, gesturing.

"And he has those," Hiccup answered, pointing to the flock of armoured dragons that bustled above Drago's ships, "it's not a fair fight..."

Broghan didn't say anything, he just placed his hand on Hiccup's shoulder, staying still for a while.

"We've fought before," he eventually said, "we make a good team. We can do this."

"We always had Wren as well..." Hiccup mumbled, "we don't have him now... we might be forced to fight him and Snow. Would... would you be able to fight your own brother...?"

"No... I can't do that..." Broghan said, looking down, "I'd never be able to hurt him."

"He won't have any trouble hurting you, believe me," Hiccup said, "not as long as Drago has him drugged."

"There's no guaranty that he has," Broghan said, "lets hope he hasn't."

Hiccup nodded silently, flinching when the screeching of Drago's dragons because ear piercing, the giant flock of dragons falling over them, casting a enormous shadow over their small army. It wasn't long before Drago himself appeared, menacing as ever, his dark cloak draped over his shoulder. At his side was Snowflake, clad in shining armour that clearly had recently been made for her. There was a man at Drago's other side, a savage grin and a wild look in his eyes, but there was no sign of Wrenlou anywhere.

"Well well..." Drago spoke, letting his eyes glide over the assembled Berkians, "this is what you people call a welcoming committee? Pathetic... utterly pathetic."

His eyes landed on Hiccup and he grinned. "And the lost son made it home again..."

Stoick growled and stepped forward, shielding Hiccup from the mad man's view. He raised the axe, his voice loud as he spoke.

"I want you off my island," he declared, pointing the axe at him, "now."

"Or what," Drago scoffed, "you'll attack me with your... dragons? They will be mine... they will all be mine and there's nothing you can do to prevent it."

Stoick stepped closer, but almost instantly Snowflake had jumped in front of Drago, eyes narrow and teeth bared, a faint golden glow in the back of her throat. Drago grinned, pushing past Stoick to come face to face with Hiccup again.

"You see... even your friend's precious... 'Snowflake' has turned on all of you... as will yours."

Toothless growled, curling his tail around Hiccup's legs, and Drago glared down at him. Before he could say anything the other Furies growled as well, all ready to blast the man to pieces.

"You brought more..." Drago said, "how kind of you... now I'll be able to make an army of Night Furies! I will truly be invincible!"

"Keep dreaming," Broghan grumbled, "it takes a Night Fury egg five years to hatch."

"I'm a patient man," Drago said with a grin, "Mutt can tell you all about that, can't you Mutt."

The other man grinned, nodding, playing with a blood covered knife.

"Of course, I had no patience for your friend..." Drago hissed, "he betrayed me, so I had to get rid of him."

"What did you do to him!" Hiccup shouted, "where is he!?"

"lets just say that... well... you might meet him, what you call it... Valhalla?" Drago grinned, glancing at Mutt, "soon enough..."

Hiccup stared at him, shock clearly on his face. "You killed him...?" he asked, trying to keep his voice from trembling, "no..."

"Oh my dear Hiccup," Drago teased, "are you hurt...? Is your heart aching...? Do you wish to see you friend...?"

Broghan growled, ready to charge forward, but Drago just chuckled.

"You lot sicken me," he said, the cold demeanor returning, "you're pathetic, a lame excuse for a human being. Consorting with dragons, treating them as... _equals_."

He spat the word at them as if it were something utterly disgusting. Some of the dragons chirped in defiance.

"I suppose you think you're clever, meeting us up here," he continued, "trying to force us off the cliff, was that your brilliant plan? And if that failed? Retreat into the village, the forest? I know all about your secret hide-out at the back of the Great Hall... the tunnels... and caves... there's nowhere for you to hide..."

"You're bluffing," Hiccup growled, glancing at his father, "Wren would never have told you that."

"Oh, he didn't," a familiar voice broke through the silence, "I did."

They frowned, gasping when Spitelout stepped out. He had a sword in his left hand, his right arm hanging down his side. His hair was messy, his clothes dirty and there were some dark bruises on his face. He glanced over at his son, an evil grin spreading on his face.

"I told him everything," he said, "all he needed to know. Every single thing. What I didn't know though... was that you'd be back here, son."

"I am NOT your son," Morvin spat at him, "and I'm NOT here for you!"

"Doesn't matter," Spitelout sneered, "I will kill you for your betrayal. All of you."

Stoick stepped forward, eyeing his brother darkly. Spitelout glared at him, raising his right arm.

"You will pay for what you did to me," he growled, "you took my life away, my ability to fight. I would have died had it not been for Drago."

"And in return for saving your life you sold out your village," Stoick said coldly, his face emotionless, "that's treason, and the punishment for treason is death."

"You should have killed me a long time ago!" Spitelout yelled, ready to attack, only stopped by two of Drago's men, who dragged him backwards.

"Enough talk!" Drago thundered, and he raised his weapon, "you will all be destroyed!"

"No!" Hiccup cried out, holding on to Toothless, "Stop!"

Drago looked at him, laughing mockingly. "You disappoint me, Dragon Master," he said, "I expected... more... of the son of Stoick the Vast. What... shame, he must feel..."

Stoick growled, gripping his axe, but Hiccup stepped forward, signaling Toothless to stay where he was. All eyes were now on him, the Berkians anxious to see what he could achieve, Drago's man eager to see what he would try.

"All of this..." Hiccup said, gesturing around, "for what... to become unstoppable? To rule the world?"

Drago grinned and looked around as well. There hadn't been a fight yet, but it was brewing, they could all feel it.

"Dragons,they... they are kind, amazing creatures," Hiccup continued, "they can bring people together..."

Drago turned to him, a savage grin spreading over his face as he planted his bullhook into the ground. He unclasped his cloak and let it fall to the ground, then reached up to release another set of straps.

"Or tear them apart," he said darkly, as he removed the metal prosthetic, the pathetic replacement for the arm he had lost so long ago. He savored the look of shock on the young man's face while he clasped it back in place.

"You see, I know what it is to live in fear," he said, slowly coming towards the young man in front of him, "to see my village burned, my family taken. But even as a boy, left with nothing, I vowed to rise above the fear of dragons, and liberate the people of this world."

He circled around him, going back to his weapon as he looked at his flock, the mass of dragons lingering above the ships as a hissing, angry cloud. Even from this distance they could see the fire that leaked at the edges of their mouths.

"Then why a dragon army," Hiccup asked, and some murmurs went through the crowd.

Drago turned back to him. "Well, you need dragons to conquer other dragons," he said with a small grin.

"Or maybe you need dragons to conquer people," Hiccup said, "to control those who follow you. And to get rid of those who won't."

Drago looked at him, laughing joylessly. "Clever boy," he mocked.

"The world wants peace," Hiccup said, glancing at his father and the others, "and we have the answer, right here. Just, let me show you..."

"No!" Drago interrupted him gruffly, "let me, show you!"

Before anyone could say or do anything, Drago roared, waving his weapon above his head in circles. The Berkians frowned, confused by this strange move, but they soon had their answer. The water stirred, bubbled, then a giant head broke through the surface. The ships bucked against their mooring lines, some even breaking free and splintering. The shores were bombarded with a rain of unforgivingly cold water, and the men gasped, trying to shield themselves from the water. The Berkians could only stare as the monstrous dragon rose above the sea, water dripping from his dark scales. It's two enormous curved tusks carried shackles to which chains could be attached, it was covered in scars, as it's master was, and the tips of the dreadlock like frills were red as blood. It had a menacing and dark look as it worked itself out of the water, it's massive body creating waves that rocked the ships dangerously.

"What IS that..." Broghan gasped, and Hiccup glanced at him.

"I believe it's called a Bewilderbeast," he said, "an Alpha."

He was unable to finish his sentence, as Drago screamed out another dragon like sound, and the dark Alpha turned to him. It lumbered onto the shore, it's massive paws shaking the ground. Hiccup backed away, Toothless growling at his side as Drago turned to them once again.

"No dragon can resist the Alpha's command," he said, his eyes full of hatred, "so he who controls the Alpha," he pointed the sharp end of his blade at the dragon now looming over them, "controls them all."

The blade now pointed at Toothless, who shied away, his green eyes full of fear, his ears twitching as he looked up at the dragon that turned an intense stare at him. He struggled, that much was clear, shaking his head, rubbing his ears, roaring helplessly as the Alpha took over his mind.

"Toothless?" Hiccup asked, reaching out but not touching him, "Toothless you okay bud? What's going on..."

"Witness true strength," Drago said, and Hiccup looked at him, despair in his eyes, "strength of will over others."

Toothless seized his struggles, straightening up, motionless now. Hiccup stared, baffled, terrified, but something clicked as he looked at Snowflake, the white dragon equally as unmoving.

"In the face of it, you are... nothing," Drago said, slowly pointing his blade at Hiccup.

The Alpha growled, and before anyone could comprehend what was going on, Toothless turned, his pupils narrow in the vibrant green of his eyes. He stalked towards Hiccup, driving him backwards.

"Ehh... what did he just tell you..." Hiccup said nervously, "Toothless, come on, what's the matter with you."

He held out his hands as he glanced at the Alpha, the dragon growling, it's pupils equally thin. Toothless kept advancing, his wings slightly raised, stalking his rider as he would a prey.

"No no no no come on," Hiccup begged, "what are you doing, knock it off! Stop! Snap out of it!"

Toothless growled, a faint blue glow at the back of his throat as he continued to advance. Hiccup pleaded with him desperately, begging him to stand down, to break free from the Alpha's control, all to no avail. The Berkians stood frozen in fear, watching horrified as the Night Fury, once a trusted friend had now become an enemy, ready to kill the one human he entrusted with his life.

But before he could release the deadly blast of fire, a deafening roar sounded, and the Alpha was distracted. Toothless was instantly his normal self again, and Hiccup collapsed onto the dragon's neck, shaking slightly, still afraid. A second roar sounded, and now everyone was looking for the source. The Alpha was clearly agitated, clawing long gauges unto the ground.

"What's going on..." Broghan said, "one second he's ready to kill you and the next..."

"Something is distracting him," Hiccup said, straightening himself as he nodded to his father, "something..."

"Over there!" someone shouted, and all attention turned to a speck in the distance, rapidly approaching.

It wasn't long before it was close enough to be identified, also because the approaching dragon was massive in size. It looked familiar to them, too familiar. A Titan Wing, a Red Death as the Berkians had called, was quickly coming their way.

"Impossible..." Broghan whispered, shocked, "it can't be here... it can't! We killed it... we... we did... didn't we...?"

The Titan Wing roared, landing rather clumsily, smashing a few houses in the process. It was smaller than the Titan Wing they had defeated the previous year, but not by much. It was about half the size of Drago's Alpha, a young one. Not all of it's spikes had grown in, and it's scales had a soft, greenish colour to them. One of it's wings looked crooked, like it had been broken and hadn't healed well, but it didn't seem to impair it's ability to fly at all. It's crown was smaller, not yet fully grown, There were few scars on his hide, a few missing scales here and there, but it was clear to them that this dragon hadn't seen battle yet.

"How in the world..." Broghan started, but Leila gasped, pointing to a small figure atop the Titan Wing's head, holding on to the spikes as if he was standing on a rock.

Before anyone could say anything the dragon bowed his head allowing the figure to slide down.

"Wrenlou!" Hiccup gasped, staring, completely flabbergasted, "Wren..."

Wrenlou looked at them, nodding curtly before straightening up, a sword in his hand. He seemed to have ditched the strange black armour Drago had forced him to wear, now wearing just the tunic he had underneath. His eyes turned dark as he looked at Drago and Snowflake, slowly going over to them.

"Well well..." Drago said, his lips parting in a sneer, "the prodigal son returns... with back up. How quaint..."

Wrenlou narrowed his eyes, resting one hand on the Titan Wings nose, the dragon backing up obediently.

"You," Wrenlou growled, pointing the sword at Drago, "have something that belongs to me. And I would like it back."


	28. Songs of War

_Hello my dears,  
You would not believe how much I hated writing this chapter. I hate writing fights, I am not good at it, so any type of feedback will be greatly appreciated. The next chapter will be an even bigger challenge, so please be patient with me. I do hope you enjoy it, and please let me know what you think!  
_

 _Enjoy!_

* * *

 **Chapter 28. Songs of War**

Drago snorted, looking at him with one raised eyebrow. Hiccup watched with his heart in his throat, the Titan Wing creeping closer. The silence hung in the air, then Drago started laughing. It was a hollow, haunting sound and it didn't last long. His expression grew even darker as he pushed the sword away with his bullhook.

"You are severely underdressed," he sneered, and some of his men chuckled, "and you do not have it in you to defeat me and take back what you claim is yours."

Hiccup glanced at Broghan, seeing him tense, his eyes fixed on Wrenlou. Drago was right. He wasn't wearing any armour, his only weapon the sword in his hand, that was now pointing at Drago's chest again.

"I will kill you," Wrenlou said, "and I will take her back."

"Have you learned nothing?" Drago growled, "do you even know what is was that controlled you? How it worked? The drug may have left your body but you still belong to me. To me!"

Wrenlou flinched, the sword wavering slightly. He glanced at the Alpha almost nervously, and Hiccup frowned, the pieces starting to fall into place.

"The dragon's blood in the drug opened your mind to the Alpha," Drago grinned, gesturing to the large dragon, "allowing him to control you like any other beast. A puppet, a pet. The drug may have cleared from your body... but my Alpha can still control your mind!"

Wrenlou' eyes widened and Hiccup gasped. The bullhook was pointing at Wrenlou and the Alpha narrowed his eyes, staring at him. Wrenlou shook his head, placing a hand on the Titan Wings leg.

"He who controls the Alpha, controls the dragons," he said, turning to Drago, "isn't that what you always said? But then again, you probably never thought to come across another. You no longer control me, my mind is my own. I have my own Alpha to protect me now."

"That is no Alpha!" Drago screamed, gripping his weapon tighter, and Hiccup thought he saw a flash of fear in the dark eyes of the man.

"It is," Wrenlou said, stroking a giant claw, "but not how you know them. He's kind, gentle, provides and protects those in his flock. Unlike you, who forces them."

"His flock!?" Drago sneered, "these pathetic lizards?"

He gestured to the dragons still perched behind the Vikings. A few mumbles rippled through the crowd, some dragons growling, but Wrenlou shook his head.

"No," he said, "I mean that flock."

All head turned to the horizon. Something that appeared to be a black cloud was rapidly approaching, and in a matter of seconds the dragons descended on Berk. They landed on roofs and between houses, but most of them stayed close to the Titan Wing, some even landing on its broad back. Soon, the entire flock had landed, the many different species of dragon side by side around the Titan Wing.

"Incredible..." Broghan said, "they... they seem willing to protect him... he's... he is the complete opposite of the other one we saw, the Queen."

"We protect our own," Wrenlou said, placing a hand on a very familiar, honey coloured Nadder that had landed next to him, "and unlike you, we don't need to force anyone to fight for us. I believe your trappers have taken some of his flock. I'm sure he'd like them back..."

Drago growled. "You will never take my dragons!"

"We'll see about that, shall we," Wrenlou answered and he looked at Hiccup, who gripped his sword and nodded, "Rockbiter, kjære venn*, how about we take them down, once and for all."

The Titan Wing roared, flaring its wings, but Drago laughed.

"Pathetic, both of you!" he shouted, "your pathetic little dragon is no match for my Alpha."

"He doesn't have to be," Hiccup said, stepping up to stand beside Wrenlou, "because we're a team, we protect each other. No matter what."

The Berkians cheered, the dragons roaring into the sky. Drago growled, screaming an order while he raised his bull hook. Wrenlou narrowed his eyes, stepping aside. He glanced at the Titan Wing, making a small gesture with his hand.

"Go get him," he said, pulling his sword, "and lets end this."

The Titan Wing roared, rearing up before flapping it's massive wings. It lunged at Drago's alpha, his jaws locking around one of it's tusks, snapping it's head to the side and pulling it off the cliff. There was a massive splash, the howling of the fighting dragons, and then Drago screamed again. The two armies charged forward, but before Wrenlou could follow Hiccup, Broghan had grabbed his arm and yanked him aside.

"Let go of me!" Wrenlou protested, staring at his brother.

"I will not," Broghan growled, "you're not wearing any armour, you're hurt and still getting through being drugged, and your right arm is no use. You'll get slaughtered. I'm ordering you to go to the Great Hall and join the healers, you'll be safe there."

"Safe!?" Wrenlou yelled and he yanked his arm free, "and what of Snowflake!? Is she safe? That's MY dragon he has Broghan, that's my girl out there. And if you think for one second that I'd sit idly by and do nothing while he uses her to destroy Berk, you're mistaken. This is my home, you can't stop me from protecting it."

Broghan sighed and stepped back, looking at him silently. After a short moment he looked over at the raging battle, dragons and men screaming, swords clashing. There was no sign from Hiccup or Drago, but he knew they were probably in the midst of the battle.

"Wren..." he started, stepping closer, "I lost one brother, I can't..."

"You won't lose me," Wrenlou said, putting his hand on his brother's shoulder, "I assure you. Now, how long are we going to stand here talking? We have to help them!"

"Alright," Broghan said, pulling his sword, "but if you get hurt, even if it is so much as a scratch, I'm grounding you for a month!"

"If I can get Snow back..." Wrenlou mumbled.

"Course you can," Broghan said, "I have faith in you. Now go get her."

Before Wrenlou could answer Broghan was gone. He had charged into the mass of bodies, attacking all of Drago's soldiers he encountered. There was an explosion, and a white flash shot overhead, roaring loudly. Wrenlou took a deep breath, and followed her. He hadn't taken two steps before an arrow shot past him, missing him only barely. For a moment he stood frozen, then he ducked behind a cart, looking around.

"I need some armour..." he muttered, "any armour..."

He spotted some bodies not too far away and sighed deeply as he crawled over to them. They were all Drago's men, all covered in blood, their faces twisted in a silent scream as their eyes stared into the endless nothing behind him. He shuddered, but knowing he would end up the same way if he didn't get some protection, he started gathering the pieces he needed.

"Coming through!" Morvin yelled, stopping for a moment to look at him, "hi Wrenlou, whatcha doin?"

"I need armour," Wrenlou answered, looking up at the man, "it's not like they need it."

"Didn't do them any good," Morvin said, kneeling down, "but it's better that nothing. Here, take this as well. Took it off some soldier."

He held out a bloodsoaked knife, and Wrenlou took it slowly. Morvin smiled and attempted to wipe some blood of his cheek, only smearing it further.

"Good seeing ya!" he said, almost cheery, "we should catch up when all this is over."

Wrenlou nodded wordlessly, watching the other man. Morvin simply nodded to him and got up again, charging a man that was running at them and swiftly cutting his head off.

"Here's a helmet for ya!" he shouted, giving a thumbs up, "don't get killed!"

He glanced back at Wrenlou after killing another one of Drago's soldiers, seeing the young man get up. Convinced that he'd be fine he yelled a battle cry, Hookfang roaring above his head.

"Come on Hookfang," he shouted, "lets do this!"

"Not so fast, boy," a voice from behind him came, and he stopped to turn around, "you and I have some unfinished business..."

"I've got nothing to say to you," he growled, pointing his sword at Spitelout, "nothing at all."

"You are still my son," the man grumbled back, holding an axe himself, "and you will listen to me."

"I'm not your son," Morvin spat, "I'm not afraid of you anymore. You don't control me."

"They told me you left, I didn't believe them," Spitelout said, the two men now circling each other, "I can see they weren't lying. You joined those... foreigners, didn't you."

"They gave me a new chance, a new life," Morvin shot back, "they gave me everything you never did. They gave me a home, family, friends. I owe them everything I am today."

"I made you what you are!" Spitelout screamed, lunging at the young man, "I taught you everything you know! Everything I did was in your best interest!"

"Beating me!?" Morvin screamed, clashing his sword against his father's, "torturing me!? Telling me over and over that I was a shame to the Jorgenson family!? Leaving me alone and scared, out in the cold, how is that the best for me!"

"I was teaching you to be tough, unlike that Hiccup," Spitelout growled, "I was making you into a real Viking, not a whimpering fishbone!"

"Hiccup Haddock," Morvin said lowly, gripping his sword tighter, "is a greater Viking and a better man than you could ever be! And I am proud to fight at his side."

Spitelout snorted, smashing the axe against the young man's sword, hooking the curved blade around the slender weapon and twisting it, forcing it out of his hand.

"I don't believe it," he grumbled, "you had such potential. You could have become a great warrior, a true Jorgenson. But they turned you into one of them, they made you weak."

He raised the axe, ready to bring it down and cut his own son's head clean off, but the young man was having none of it. He ducked down, slammed his shoulder into his father's chest and forced him to the ground. He finished the move bye rolling once, ending on his feet and when he got up, he had his sword in his hand again.

"They did quite the opposite," he said, "they showed me that I could be different. They showed me what it was to be appreciated. They showed me how to work together, to trust someone else to have your back. They trained me, I am one of them now."

"Snotlout..." the man started, still on the ground, "son... please..."

"My name is Morvin!" the young man screamed, raising his sword, "I am a Guard of Dragoncity, the Rider of Hookfang, and I am not your son!"

With the last word he brought the sword down, taking Spitelout's head off in one clean swipe. The world around him seemed to slow down, disappear, as he watched his father's shocked expression change to one of fear. The sound his body made when it hit the ground seemed to echo around him, drowning out all the other sounds. He stood, panting, staring at the now dead body at his feet. He took a few steps back, the growing pool of blood unable to seep into the already bloodsoaked ground.

"I am not your son..." he said again, "I'm not..."

"Morvin watch out!"

The scream from above brought him back to his senses and he barely reacted fast enough to get out of the way of a massive tangle of limbs. The two dragons roared at each other, flapping wings and lashing tails. One of the two, a green and yellow Nadder was wearing some sort of metal armour, a wild look in her eyes. The other one, a young Zippleback, was clearly one of the Titan Wing's flock, having no armour and a kind, but frightened look in it's eyes.

"Are you okay?" Broghan asked, coming up next to him.

"Yeah... I am now," Morvin said, glancing at the body of his father, "I am now..."

Broghan nodded, looking at the two fighting dragons. The smaller Zippleback was quickly driven back, the Nadder's rage unrelenting. He glanced at Morvin, knowing they thought the same thing, and they charged forward, each standing next to the Zippleback. The Nadder growled, angry but confused, and raised it's tail.

"We must try not to hurt her," Broghan said, "this isn't her fault. She didn't choose this."

"And how do you suggest we do that," Morvin said, jumping aside when sharp spines flew his way, "I don't think she's willing to listen you know."

"Then we do it the hard way," Broghan said, raising his sword at the dragon, "you! Nadder! We're not here to hurt you- oh geez!"

He jumped aside, hitting the ground hard as five spikes impaled the ground where he had been standing just moment before. The Zippleback spread its wings and flew off, leaving the two men to face the snarling dragon on their own.

"Aaand there he goes... great," Morvin mumbled.

"You can't blame him," Broghan said as he got up, "he's young and terrified. Now, how do we do this... I don't want to kill her."

"Seems like she might have different ideas," Morvin yelped as he jumped aside, "she seems determined to kill us!"

Broghan nodded, reaching out to grab his sword, but the Nadder was faster. Her head snapped down, her teeth closing around his forearm. For a moment he was confused about what had happened, then the pain set in. sharp, stabbing pain, his arm feeling like it was on fire. The Nadder shook her head a few times, as if she was trying to wrench his arm off, then she spread her wings and flapped into the air. He heard Morvin scream, chasing after the dragon that still had an iron grip on his arm, but the pain became blinding when she landed on a roof and shook him again. She growled and let go, flinging him against the side of another building, before falling to the ground and hitting hard. He lay dazed and in pain, unaware of his badly his arm was bleeding until some shook his shoulder, shouting his name.

"S...Susan...?" he mumbled, seeing a hazy face in front of his own.

"Oh thank the Gods he's alive..." Susan said to another, unseen person, "but he's losing blood fast. He need to get to the Hall."

"Come on," the other person said, "on your feet Broghan, I don't think we can carry you. You have to help us a little."

"Sharon..." he mumbled, trying to get up, his arm limply at his side.

The girls helped him, half carrying, half dragging him to the Hall. It was already filled with wounded and dying men, some screaming in pain, others too far gone to even make a sound. It was Astrid who spotted them first, rushing over as fast as she could, helping them lay him down.

"How is it out there?" she asked while she washed the blood away, "is Hiccup alright?"

"Last time we saw him, yes," Susan said, "he'll be fine Astrid, he's tougher than he looks."

"I'm just worried..." Astrid said softly.

"We'll keep an eye on him for you," Sharon said while she stood up, "you just keep Broghan alive."

Astrid nodded and the girls left, their weapons ready. They hadn't stepped two feet outside the door of the Hall, or Toothless came crashing down, roaring at something on the roof. Snowflake roared back, jumping down after him and chasing him through the fight. Both dragons were bleeding from several wounds.

"It's getting worse," Susan said, "how do we even find Hiccup in all this."

"We'll follow Toothless," Sharon answered, pointing after the dragon.

"He's being chased by Snowflake!" Susan said, punching a guy in the throat, "and she's still under the Alpha's control."

"Then we'll be careful," Sharon said, pulling her sister along, "come on. Lets find Hiccup."

They followed the two dragons, hissing and growling at each other. Toothless didn't attack Snowflake, he only defended against her swipes, and he was trying to lead her away from the Alpha. It wasn't easy to get away from the large dragon however, and it roared, recalling some of its flock. The armoured dragons decended upon the smaller Titan Wing and it shrieked, falling back into the water. The splash was enormour and the wave washed some of the blood from the streets, but the fight was still in full swing, and the blood wasn't washed away easily.

The Titan Wing was injured, limping, but Drago's Alpha seemed to have taken a beating as well. One of its wings/fins was torn almost completely from it's body, hanging on only by a thread. Deep cuts ran down it's flanks, and dark blood covered it's dusty scales. The Titan Wing roared and flapped it's wings, flying out of the water and attaching the Alpha once again. The Alpha raised its massive tail, and the Titan Wing flew into it with outstretched talons, easily ripping through the tender membrane. The dragon howled, smalling its tail down onto the rocky beach, trapping the young Titan Wing underneath. The dragon roared, spewing a large beam of fire at its opponent, scrambling to get up when it let him go.

Hiccup flinched a little when the heat came too close for comfort, back away from the edge some. He scanned the squirming mass of bodies and armour, looking for that one man he had been looking for. But there was no sign of the mad man himself, and he turned his attention to Drago's ship. It lay empty now, all the hatches and cages wide open. And then he saw him, standing on the deck of the ship. The black cloak was once again around his shoulders, and it seemed like he was waiting for something.

"Alright..." Hiccup said, "I'll come to you then..."

He glanced back at the fight behind him, quietly slipping away. He walked down the many steps and bridges towards the docks, and towards the large black ship casting looming shadows.

"Hiccup? Where are you going?"

He turned around, seeing Wrenlou not far behind. He sighed and walked a few paces back, silently looking at him. He knew he looked as bad as he felt, every inch of his body aching, his armour streaked with blood. Wrenlou didn't look much better, a bloodstained sword in his left hand. Hiccup looked at the ship.

"I have to finish this," he said, "with Drago gone his men will surrender, and the Alpha won't know what to do. I don't know if you noticed, but your Titan friend it getting quite a beating."

"He's also giving quite a beating," Wrenlou said, "Hiccup, don't go there alone, please. He's too strong, he'll kill you."

"I have to try," Hiccup said, turning to his brother, "just... take care of Toothless for me, if anything goes wrong."

"Hiccup..." Wrenlou started, but Hiccup cut him off.

"Wren... please," he whispered, "I have to do this..."

"What about Astrid!" Wrenlou shouted desperately when Hiccup started to walk away, "what about your baby!"

"I am doing this for them!" Hiccup snapped, "look around you! They're too strong Wren, we knew that from the start. And if by any chance we manage to get ourselves killed, he goes to the next village. And the next. And the next. The only way this reign of terror will stop is if we take down Drago for good. You know that."

"Yes, I do know that," Wrenlou said, "but I also know that you can't defeat him alone. Hiccup, please listen to me. He's leading you into a trap. You might think he's alone but he's not. He's not taking any chances. Look at the rigging, central mast. There's an archer, with orders to kill you if things may go wrong for him. There's another one on the stern, with the same orders. Then there's two on either side, on the smaller floaters. You can't do this..."

Hiccup frowned, looking closely at the places Wrenlou described. He indeed saw several archers hiding away. He looked down, thinking for a moment.

"That's why I need you," he said, "I'm counting on you to take them out before they can do anything."

"How," Wrenlou said, "how am I supposed to do that."

"Snowflake," Hiccup said, walking back to him and placing a hand on his shoulder, "you must find Snowflake, and bring her back."

"I can't..." Wrenlou whispered, "his Alpha is too strong..."

"You can," Hiccup said, "and you will. Because if you don't, we're all going to die. Please Wren, I need you in the air."

Wrenlou took a deep breath and nodded. "I won't let you down,"he said, "please Hiccup, do not underestimate him. He's... quite a fighter."

"I won't," Hiccup said, forcing a smile, "don't worry about me alright? Just worry about yourself."

"That'll be hard..." Wrenlou mumbled as he watched Hiccup walk down the rest of the ramps, towards the massive ship. He shuddered while he looked at its torn and smoking sails, and quickly turned to find Snowflake, and somehow bring her back from Drago's control. When he reached the top of the cliff he looked back, seeing Hiccup standing in front of the ship, either hesitating to go in, or simply waiting for him to be out of sight.

After a moment he turned, and walked onto the ship. He didn't see anyone until he stepped onto the deck, and he met Drago, the man standing near the mast, smirking.

"Hiccup Haddock," he grinned, "I see you've come to die."

"No," Hiccup said, raising Inferno and lighting the flame, "I've come to end this."

Drago sighed, shaking his head. "My dear boy, we've discussed this. You can't win. If you surrender now, I'll make your death, and those of your friends a quick and painless one. However, if you insist on taking the hard road, I'll make sure they'll suffer greatly."

Hiccup glared at the man, spotting the two archers hiding behind barrels on either side of Drago.

"Then what is this," he said, "why are we here Drago. For a fair fight? You don't fight fair, the archers are proof of that."

"You're a clever one Hiccup," Drago smirked, "or did Wrenlou tell you about my archers? He always was weak..."

"My brother is not weak!" Hiccup snapped, "he defied you, he rescued me from you. He was stronger than you thought he'd be, admit it!"

Drago simply snorted, pulling his bullhook from the deck. "He was weak. He is weak. And that's how he'll die. Slowly, and painfully. Maybe I won't kill you just yet... I might keep you alive long enough to watch him die."

"I'll kill you before I'll let you touch him again," Hiccup growled, "you've hurt him for the last time, Drago."

"I seriously doubt that..." Drago snickered, letting the black cloak fall to the ground, "I really do... You don't have it in you to kill me."

"We'll see about that," Hiccup said, raising Inferno, "prepare to die, Drago Bludvist, for this will be your last day on this earth."

* * *

 _*kjære venn = dear friend_


	29. The Last Battle

_Hi there people!  
Let me just tell you, fight scenes, not my thing. I tried my best, this is what happens, I really hope you like it. I am learning the whole, write a massive giant battle thing, and even though I'm not entirely satisfied with this chapter, this is as good as it's gonna get. I'm more of the emotional angsty stuff, but son't worry, there will be plenty of that soon enough..._

 _Also, sorry not sorry for the cliffhanger..._

 _Enjoy! And don't forget to review!_

* * *

 **Chapter 29. The Last Battle**

"Come on Snow, where are you..." Wrenlou mumbled, trying to stay away from the fight as much as he could, while at the same time looking for Snowflake, "we have to help Hiccup..."

He yelped and ducked when a flaming ball of fire crashed from the sky, two Monstrous Nightmares locked in battle. He slipped around them as quietly as he could, making his way towards Berk's plaza. The ground was covered in blood, both human and dragon, and the groans of the injured, dying men he stepped over sounded like screams in his ears, his instincts as a healer conflicting with his need to help his brother. He looked around frantically, yelping when a hand grabbed his ankle, searching for the man. It was one of Drago's soldiers, covered in blood, barely hanging onto life.

"Please..." the man whispered, looking up at him, "help... me..."

Wrenlou stared back at him with wide eyes. He stood frozen, the man's bloody hand still clasped around his ankle. The man looked back, clearly struggling to breathe, trying to pull him down to the ground.

"I... eh... I can't..." Wrenlou stammered, "I... I have to find my dragon and... I... I have to help Hiccup..."

"You must... help me..." the man pleaded, "you must..."

Wrenlou tried to shake the hand off his ankle, but the man had a death grip on his boot, begging for help. Before he could react, a Viking came crashing through a wall of bodies, swinging an axe and killing the man instantly. Wrenlou yelped as he was sprayed by blood, stumbling backwards. He would have fallen had it not been for the man grabbing his arm.

"Careful now," Stoick said, pulling him away from the fight, "why aren't you in the Hall with the other healers?"

"I... Snowflake," Wrenlou said, straightening his tunic, "I have to find Snowflake before she gets hurt. Or killed."

"Right," Stoick said, thrusting an axe in his hands, "take that. Have you seen Hiccup?"

"No," Wrenlou said, "I mean yes. I mean... Drago... he went to find Drago."

"Of course he did," Stoick said with a sigh, "I better go find him, before he gets himself killed. Good luck with that dragon of yours!"

Before Wrenlou had a change to respond, Stoick had disappeared into the crowd.

"Yeah..." he mumbled, staring down at the bloodstained axe, "Snow... where are you..."

He kept searching, looking around the battle field fearing the worst. The bodies were piling up in the streets of Berk, mostly Drago's men, but he saw some Berkians as well. A young man he knew as Asmund was laying in a pool of blood, his eyes staring blankly at the sky. His brother, Bjarke was next to him, also dead. He backed away from them in shock. He hadn't known the men well, but seeing them dead brought the reality of the war too close.

"Snow!" he screamed, clutching the axe, "Snow where are you!"

In his frantic search he tripped over the severed tail of a Nadder, the rest of the dragon crashed against the side of the house. He fell forward onto the bloodsoaked streets, the axe clattering from his hands. Just as he was about to get up, now covered in the dark dragon blood, a fireball exploded next to him, sending him flying. He collided with the side of a house before hitting the ground, the heat from the explosion still burning on his skin. Stars exploded behind his eyes as soon as his head impacted the rocky ground, his vision fracturing into pieces before it went black.

0-0-0-0

"You can't win Hiccup," Drago sneered, "you cannot defeat me. Why don't you just give up now. Your efforts are futile."

"I don't have to defeat you," Hiccup said, circling his opponent, "I just have to keep you busy until the Titan Wing can get rid of your Alpha."

"That puny dragon?" Drago said with a smirk, "he's no match for my Alpha. You know this..."

"He seems to be doing a pretty good job!" Hiccup shouted, gesturing to the two battling dragons.

Drago growled, turning to look as well. The two titans were still locked in combat, bot dragons bleeding from several wounds. The Alpha had now lost one of it's fins completely, the ragged, torn edges staining the dark scales with blood. Wrenlou's Titan Wing, although smaller, seemed to be in better shape. Part of the crown on his head had broken off, leaving him looking rather silly, and he was limping, not putting any weight on his front leg, but he was still snarling, dodging the ice the Alpha kept shooting at him. Berk's harbour was covered in the giant spikes or solid ice, jotting up out of the water. Several of the buildings had also been incased in ice, but the small Titan Wing appeared to defend the village well.

"He will die," Drago growled, "and so will you, and all of your pathetic little friends. Your dragons will be mine."

"Yeah yeah," Hiccup said, "so you've said a thousand times before."

"And I will continue to say it until you understand!" Drago shouted, raising his weapon, "until you see that you're no match for my army! Until your village is in ruins and everyone you love is dead!"

Drago screamed, running forward, his weapon raised. Hiccup ducked under it, raising Inferno and it clashed with the bullhook, sending sparks flying. Drago turned on his heels, faster then he would have given him credit for, and lashed out again. Hiccup was also able to block this attack, though the force behind the blade pushed him backwards, skidding over the deck. Before either of them could attack again, a large splash rocked the boat, the roaring of the two enormous dragons deafening. Hiccup stumbled, the deck now wet and slippery, the ship still rocking slightly. Drago grinned, sneering at his prosthetic, raising his weapon once again.

"The only reason," he growled, circling the young man, "you are still alive is because I find your ignorance mildly amusing."

"Ignorance?" Hiccup asked, slightly surprised, "no Drago, you got it all wrong. It is you who are ignorant. Oblivious to the truth about dragons, blinded by your hatred."

"I know the truth!" Drago shouted, "and I've had enough of your talking! You test my patience Hiccup Haddock, I do not appreciate that."

Hiccup dodged a blow from the bullhook, slipping on the deck, yelping when the blade entered the wood right next to his head. He scrambled to his feet, scanning the dark clouds above.

"Come on Wren," he mumbled, dodging another blow, "what in the name of Thor is keeping you..."

0-0-0-0-0

The first thing he was aware of was the throbbing in his head. He lay still for a few moments and the pain subsided some, but when he opened his eyes and the light surrounded him it came back with a vengeance. He groaned, carefully touching his temple, where the pain was the worst, and felt the bandages under his fingers. This confused him. He had to be in the Hall, but how did he get here? When he tried to sit up a hand on his shoulder stopped him, and Broghan's face came into view.

"Thanks goodness you're awake," his brother said with a soft smile, "I was worried."

"What..." he started, "how..."

"You were nearly incinerated," Broghan said, "you're lucky. If you had been only inches closer you could have been dead."

"How... how long was I out..." he asked, trying to get up again.

"Fifteen minutes or so," Broghan said, pushing him down once again, "Wren, you nearly died. You have to get some rest."

"I can't rest..." he said, swatting Broghan's hand away, "I... I have to..."

"You have to rest," Broghan said, "please. You probably have a concussion or something, maybe even a fractured skull."

"That can wait..." Wrenlou mumbled, finally able to get up, "I have to find Snowflake."

"She'll be fine," Broghan said with a grunt, "come on Wren, just lay down and get some rest."

"Broghan, you don't understand," Wrenlou said, looking at him pleadingly, "Hiccup went after Drago. Alone. He asked me to find Snowflake and then help him. Drago has archers hidden around the ship, and he won't hesitate to shoot Hiccup when it looks like he's winning. Drago doesn't play fair okay, I should know... I have to find Snowflake and help him."

"He went after Drago..." Broghan asked in disbelief, "of course he did... that is such a Hiccup-y thing to do... But Wren, I can't let you go out there and fight Drago, not with your head like that. You're not thinking straight."

"My head is fine, and I don't have to fight Drago," Wrenlou urged, "I just have to make sure it's a fair fight, take out the archers. I just have to give Hiccup the opportunity to defeat Drago, that's all. I'll be fine... really. But I have to do this."

"Then you know where Snowflake is?" Broghan asked, "and she's no longer under the Alpha's command?"

"I... I don't know," Wrenlou admitted as he looked down, "but I have to try. I cam't just leave Hiccup to die, can I?"

"No..." Broghan said softly as he sighed, "but I don't want to see you hurt either. I've lost one brother, I don't want to lose another."

"I'll be alright," Wrenlou said, "we both will be. Just give me some time to find her and help Hiccup. I promise I'll be right back when Drago is gone, okay? Please Broghan... please..."

"Alright," Broghan said, "but you come straight back after you've fulfilled your promise. No crazy heroics, no saving everyone you meet, straight back here."

Wrenlou nodded, stumbling only slightly when he got up. He had to hold on to the table not to fall, but when his head stopped spinning he turned to Broghan.

"Be careful," his brother said, a worried look on his face, "for gods sake please be careful..."

"I will be," Wrenlou said while he picked up a sword that was laying on the floor, thrown there and forgotten in the rush to save lives, "I'll be back before you know it, you'll see."

"I certainly hope so," he heard Broghan mumble as he turned and left the Hall.

The moment he stepped outside the loud screams and bright fires only worsened his headache but he ignored it, desperate to find Snowflake. He didn't have to search for long, as the female dragon found him, landing behind him with a slight growl. When he turned around he froze, staring into her eyes, her pupils still narrow, her black armour covered in blood and grime. There were several cuts on the few unprotected areas of her body, and an arrow was sticking out of one of her paws. She advanced slowly, growling softly.

"Snow... it's me..." he said while he walked backwards, his hands stretched out towards the dragon, "it's me... you know me... I'm your rider. We're a team... partners... remember? We're friends..."

The dragon growled, her tail lashing back and forth as she opened her mouth, a faint golden glo at the back of her throat. She kept advancing slowly, unwavering in her quest to kill her rider.

"Come on girl..." Wrenlou begged, "it's not supposed to be like this... you're supposed to be on my side, the good guy side. Not listen to Drago and his Alpha... we're a team you and I... we're buddies."

She hissed, seemingly getting even angrier and he felt tears come up in his eyes. He didn't want to die like this, murdered by his own dragon. He stopped walking, holding his hands out to her, his voice shaking slightly as he begged her to come back. Snowflake roared, the glow brightening and he turned his head away with a sob, closing his eyes.

But the expected blast didn't come. Instead, a soft scaled nose pressed against his palm and he nearly jumped, gasping a little as he looked at the dragon in front of him. She had her nose in his hand, her eyes closed and when she felt her rider relax she looked up at him, her pupils still indicating that she was struggling with the Alpha's mind control.

"Snow..." he whispered, rubbing her nose, "my sweet girl..."

The dragon crooned softly, creeping closer as if she wanted to apologize, and he fell to his knees, his arms wrapped around her neck as he held her close. She whines a little, nuzzling his back.

"It's alright..." he whispered, "it's not your fault. I'm okay."

She whined again, biting at the black armour as soon as he let go. He stared at it thoughtfully, then pulled her head away from it.

"I know you hate it love, but it will protect you for now," he said as he eyed the arrow in her leg, "what do you say, shall we teach Drago who's boss? Show him he messed with the wrong dragon rider?"

She growled, baring her teeth and he chuckled a little as he got on her back. She spread her wings and shot into the air, the wind pulling on his hair and clothes, and he held on as tight as possible. She swerved towards the ship when the Alpha broke out of the water, roaring loudly.

"The Alpha!" Wrenlou gasped as he pulled her to a halt, "we'll never get past it!"

Snowflake growled, shooting a plasma blast at the enormous beast. It roared again, but before it could attack them the Titan Wing distracted it, luring it away.

"We have to try," Wrenlou said, rubbing her neck, "for Hiccup."

0-0-0-0-0

Just as he landed a blow aimed at Drago's shoulder, slicing the straps that held his metal arm in place, there was a shriek and a white blur dove down towards the deck. It was Snowflake, landing so roughly that she and her rider tumbled over the deck, eventually coming to a stop against the smaller mast. Hiccup smiled a little, seeing Wrenlou slowly get up, but his smile faded when he saw the bandage around his head, and Wrenlou's stiff movements. Snowflake moved equally as slow, sitting straight like a statue when she had sorted out her wings and tail. Wrenlou groaned a little, grabbing a sword that lay nearby, using it as support as he got up, one hand on his head.

"Wren?" Hiccup asked, taking a step closer, "Wren!"

His brother didn't answer and Drago chuckled, circling around Hiccup to place himself between his opponent and the dragon and her rider.

"They are no match for my Alpha," he grinned, "the head injury made him susceptible once again. They are mine now, and they will be until they die."

"No..." Hiccup mumbled, shaking his head, "no..."

"Give up now, and I'll make your death and easy one," Drago sneered, pointing his weapon at the young man.

"Never!" Hiccup screamed, gripping Inferno tighter.

He refused to believe that Wrenlou and Snowflake had once again fallen under Drago's control, but the sight of the two staying still as stone infuriated him, and he charged recklessly. Drago was unprepared for the rage that Hiccup felt towards him, and for a short time the man was driven back, seemingly unable to fend of the young man's flurry of strikes.

It didn't last long, as he had forgotten the deck was wet and slippery, and in his recklessness he slipped, stumbling for just a moment, but it was enough for Drago. He immediately attacked, landing a strike against Hiccup's shoulder that sent him down, and the young man could barely avoid the bullhook as it was thrust at his head. He scrambled to his feet, clenching Inferno tightly and he glanced at Wrenlou and Snowflake. They were watching with what appeared to be worry and he frowned. Could it be possible that Drago's hold on them wasn't as strong as the man thought?

Drago took advantage of his moment of distraction, knocking Inferno from his hand and in a swift move he found himself trapped between Drago's chest and the long handle of the bullhook. He struggled, to no avail, and when he looked down he found that the man had hooked one end of the stick behind his foot, holding the other one, effectively creating a painful vice that felt like it would crush his chest. Drago twisted around, facing an archer with Hiccup pressed against his chest, the dragon rider trapped and completely defenseless.

"Time to die, Hiccup Haddock," the man chuckled, holding him tight, "you see, I told you it would end like this, didn't I..."

Hiccup struggled, his eyes widening as he saw the archer take aim. Before the man was able to let his arrow fly, a golden fireball exploded where he stood, killing the man instantly. Hiccup was able to free himself from Drago's deathgrip, sucking in deep breaths as he stumbled over the deck.

"Oops," Wrenlou said, "was that not what you meant?"

"Impossible!" Drago hissed, "you're mine!"

Wrenlou glared at him coldly. "You know, I didn't think you'd fall for that little trick. Seems like you are dumber than I thought."

Hiccup couldn't help but smile at Drago's shocked face. The shock didn't last long however, and soon it was replaced by anger once again.

"Then you will die as well," the man growled.

"You messed with the wrong dragon rider," Wrenlou retorted, patting Snowflake's neck, "come on girl, lets show em what we can do..."

The dragon roared and spread her wings. She took off with so much force it rocked the ship, shooting up into the sky, then coming right back. She took out two archers at once, then she went for the central mast, firing a few plasma blasts that splintered it completely, the giant sail coming down to the deck. Hiccup scrambled to avoid it, the ropes from the rigging snapping as the mast fell. Once it hit the deck the weight of the broken mast pulled it off the side, where it got stuck, just hanging there. The ship was now leaning, the deck at an angle from the weight that was pulling on one side.

"It's you and me..." Hiccup said, "no more archers, no more cheating. Just you and me."

"If that is how you want it..." Drago growled, charging once again.

Hiccup grumbled, having trouble dodging the attacks on the slanted and slippery deck. Every time he moved he almost slipped down to the railing where the mast was pulling the ship down more and more. Before the tangle of wood and rope could pull the ship down completely, a golden plasma blast splintered the railing it had snagged on, freeing the ship that bounced back, throwing Hiccup and Drago around. Hiccup was back on his feet first, his vision dancing and he blinked a few times before it became clear again. Drago was also getting up, using his bullhook to push himself up.

The white dragon had already shot up again, hovering high above in the sky, almost like a guardian watching over them. Hiccup shuddered, glancing at Drago. He had no idea how long the fight had been going on, but he knew that he was nearing the end of his energy reserves. He could only hope Drago was getting exhausted as well, but he couldn't be sure. He took Inferno in his right hand, taking a small dagger in his left. He wasn't sure how much difference it would make, but he could try.

Drago growled and charged at him, the bullhook raised, forcing him to duck under it, twisting to get away at the same time. Drago turned around with surprising speed, and Hiccup brought Inferno up to block the blow, but his coordination was off. The blade hit his hand, knocking Inferno from his fingers and a searing pain shot through the appendage. He stumbled back as blood dripped to the deck, pressing his hand against his chest.

"Time to die, Hiccup Haddock" Drago sneered, lashing out.

Hiccup dove to the deck, snatching Inferno up as he rolled back to his feet, clicking the blade to life again.

"Seems like your clock is a little off," he growled back, once again engaging his opponent.

His right hand was throbbing, blood still dripping from it. He didn't want to think about the things the blade could have done to it, he was determined to finally end Drago's reign of terror and death. Drago's metal arm was now loose, one of the straps that held it in place had finally snapped, probably aided by Hiccup's earlier attacks on it, and Drago simply unhooked it and let it fall to the deck.

He attacked again, blocking and attacking, advancing and retreating, it was like an endless cycle. Drago managed to cut his shoulder and forearm, and he was able to strike a blow at the mad man's cheek. He was pushed back, blocking strike after strike when he tripped over a tangle of rope. Inferno clattered from his hand, disappearing overboard, probably swallowed by the waves never to be seen again, and he was pinned against the remains of the great mast, Drago's blade pointing at his chest.

"So it ends here, dragon rider," Drago said, "pity. We could have done great things together."

"You talk too much," Hiccup retorted, "that's a sign of fear. Are you afraid, Drago? Afraid of what will happen if you kill me? Afraid we might beat you? A small village we might be, but we stand together. United, strong. Your army is divided."

"And how united will they be after you die?" Drago sneered.

Hiccup gulped a little. He was trapped, defenseless once again, no place left to hide. Drago raised the weapon, the blade still pointing at Hiccup's chest, but before he could bring it down, a white blur crashed down on him, wrenching it from his hand. Hiccup breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Wrenlou and Snowflake, the latter with the bullhook between her teeth.

"Forgot about us did you?" Wrenlou growled, "you'll never be able to kill him, not on our watch."

Snowflake dropped the bullhook, roaring as emphasis for her rider's words. Drago hissed and took a step towards the pair, his eyes spewing fire. Snowflake hissed back, but jumped away, allowing Drao to reclaim his weapon. He attempted to attack the white dragon, but she spread her wings and flew up, but not before Wrenlou had thrown the sword down to Hiccup. Drago paid no attention to him as he got up, instead focused on the dragon and her rider. He raised the bullhook, stomping the deck one, screaming his dragon like roar. The ship rocked, and the Alpha surfaced. There was no sign of the small Titan Wing, but the Alpha looked like it had taken quite a beating. But even blinded, hurt and bleeding it turned to it's master obediently, waiting for the next command. Drago shouted something unintelligible, then he pointed the sharp end of his blade at the white dragon circling the ship. The Alpha turned, opening it' mouth, spewing a massive stream of ice at the small Night Fury. Snowflake faltered in the sky, twisting and turning to avoid the deadly spikes of ice.

"NO!" Hiccup screamed, jumping up, "stop it!"

Drago simply grinned, not intend of stopping at all. High in the sky there was a shriek, and Snowflake fell, her tail and one of her wings trapped in the ice. Hiccup stared horrified as he saw them go down on the beach, the Alpha closing in to finish the job. Before the dragon reached them, the Titan Wing burst from the waves, the dragon's sharp teeth closing around a massive tusk and yanking it aside. Both dragons disappeared under the waves in a massive splash that rocked the ship violently.

"No archers for me," Drago said darkly as he turned to Hiccup, "no dragon rider for you. You and me, isn't that what you said?"

"Wren..." Hiccup whispered, staring at the beach. He saw no sign of the dragon or her rider anymore, and fear was gripping his heart.

"Oh dear..." Drago said, pretending to be shocked, "what did I do..."

"You'll pay for that," Hiccup hissed, "I'll kill you!"

"You don't have it in you, boy," Drago spat at him, grinning, "but I'd like to see you try."

Hiccup screamed, his rage now burning as he attacked Drago. He suddenly felt an intense hatred towards this man, the one that had attacked his home and everyone he loved, hurt who knows how many people, killed his friends and family.

He landed a strike against the man's shoulder, but his thick shoulderpad deflected most of the blow, and the blade sliced through his tunic instead. In turn, Drago tries to drive the spearhead of his weapon through Hiccup's chest, but the young man jumped back, quickly attacking again. He spun around, stabbing Drago's leg in a swift motion, then ducked under his opponent's blade to kick the back of his knees. Drago stumbled but quickly regained his footing, turning around just as the Titan Wing shot from the water, one of the Alpha's tusks between his teeth. He roared in fury as the other dragon also surfaced, the jagged ends where the tusk had been attached slightly bleeding. The Titan Wing roared again, snapping it's strong jaws closed around the tusk, putting more and more pressure on it until it shattered. The Alpha howled in anguish and defeat, diving under the waves. The last they saw of it was the black tail that slapped against the side of the ship, sending it crashing into the dock it was tied next to, splintering the hull. The ship rocked, and they could hear water coming in.

"Time to end this," Drago said, circling Hiccup, "the ship is sinking..."

"Then you'll go down with it," Hiccup answered, readying his sword, "after all, a captain always goes down with the ship, does he not?"

Drago charged at him and he stepped aside, batting the hook away from his legs. He gave the man a push as he shot past him, but Drago was too heavy to be just pushed down. The man turned around and came at him again. This time the blades clashed, quivering just inches away from the fighter's faces as both pushed with all their might. Drago was stronger and pushed Hiccup backwards across the slippery deck, the ship sinking deeper, stilting to the side. This didn't make it any easier

Hiccup pushed back with all his might, but he felt his prosthetic slipping and he was unable to find grip on the wet planks. He tried twisting away, sliding the sword down the handle of Drago's weapon, but this proved to be a fatal miscalculation. He slipped and dropped the sword as he was grasping for anything to hold on to, and Drago took immediate advantage of his unfortunate tumble.

Drago knocked the handle of his bullhook against Hiccup's chest, snatched his fallen sword from the ground, and when the young man stumbled to get up, he turned the weapon around and in one swift motion he drove it through Hiccup's stomach. Hiccup gasped and grabbed the weapon, trying to prevent it from doing further harm, but Drago was stronger and there was so much force behind the thrust, that he was easily pushed backwards.

Drago laughed, a cold, heartless laugh, as he stood over Hiccup, slowly pulling his blade out of his body. This only caused Hiccup more pain, and he spasmed as the weapon was retracted. His hands clutched the wound, but did nothing to stem the flow of blood, and he could feel it seep into his clothes, the warm liquid crawling up his shirt. He coughed, a fine mist of blood sprayed up at Drago's face, but the man ignored them. He set the tip of the now blood laced blade on Hiccup's throat, ready for the kill.

"You're pathetic," he hissed, "just like your brother was. The fool. Don't worry, you'll be seeing him soon, in, what do you call it? Valhalla? Because after I'm done with you, I'll kill him as well, if he isn't dead already."

Hiccup glanced up at the man, desperately fighting for every breath of air, but the pain was becoming too much to bear. Drago raised his weapon above his head, the point still aimed at Hiccup's throat, and the young man closed his eyes, waiting for the fatal blow.


	30. Fallen Heroes

_Hi people! I am back! Didn't expect me to be back so soon, did you? But the god of Inspiration must have favoured me today, because man, I've been writing and writing like crazy! I love it.  
_

 _Now an announcement. The Adventurous Adventures of Hiccup and Wrenlou will be coming back! I realise it has been quite some time since I last updated that, almost a year in fact, but I plan on continuing that as well. Poor Hiccup has been in a coma since being struck by lightning in the last chapter, and I believe he's been in it long enough. Time to wake up Hiccup!_

 _So for anyone who's interested in that, it's on my profile. And for everyone who's been more than patient waiting for the next chapter, guys, you are amazing. I love everyone of you, you're all amazing._

 _This is another angsty chapter, with a cliffhanger. Hope you won't hate me for that, I just can't resist them..._

 _Tell me what you think! I'd love to read your reviews!_

 _Enjoy!_

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 **Chapter 30. Fallen Heroes**

He groaned as he got up, slipping on the rocks beneath him. They had made a not too kind landing on the beach after the Alpha had trapped Snowflake's tail and wing in ice, even trapping his leg to her side, and after a moment where his vision had washed white from the pain that exploded in his head, he was finally regaining his senses.

His entire body hurt. It was a miracle he hadn't broken his legs or neck in the crash, but everything hurt, and he was sure he'd be covered in bruised come dawn. At the moment he didn't really care, looking around for Snowflake. He found her not to far away, laying completely still, her wings sprawled over the rocks. The black armour she had been wearing had come loose, pieces strewn about the rocky beach, and her scales were covered in blood, broken or even missing, revealing the soft, pale skin underneath.

He tried calling her name, but she didn't respond to his voice, something that was highly unusual. He shook her, tried to lift her head, and still the dragon remained completely still. For a moment he feared she was dead, but the unsteady rise and fall of her chest told him she was still alive, albeit barely.

"Snow..." he whispered, rubbing her ears, "come on... wake up... I cam't get you to the stables all by myself."

Still no response came and he started to grow desperate. He looked around, but the small beach seemed utterly inaccessible. There was a ramp leading towards the docks, but it seemed miles away, and then there was the cliff. The steep rockface was impossible to climb, he had tried it in his first few months on Berk while Hiccup was laughing at him as he kept failing.

Hiccup... he suddenly remembered his brother and Drago, and his head snapped to the ship. It was tilting sidewards, water rushing un from the side, the hole big enough to fit a dragon. He was torn, torn between his dragon and his brother, and he hated the choice he was forced to make.

There was a soft croon behind him and he whirled around, expecting to see Snowflake looking back at him, instead seeing Moonchaser standing next to the still dragon. The dragon's hide was also covered in cuts and abrasions, but the blood that stained her scales wasn't nearly as visible as it was on Snowflake.

"Moonchaser..." he breathed, rushing to the dragon, "Moon I need your help. She needs to go to the stables okay? Can you do that for me? Please?"

Moonchaser crooned softly, pressing her nose against his pal shortly, then she went over to Snowflake. She nudged the dragon's limp body onto her back, the white wings and tail trailing beside her as she walked off slowly, careful with her precious load. Wrenlou watched for a short while, then something clicked in his mind and he ran off as well, up the ramp and towards the docks. He run as fast as his legs could carry him, grabbing a fallen sword from a body, clenching it tightly. The ship had somehow straightened out a bit again, but he knew that was only a bad sign. It meant the lower levels were filling with water rapidly, the weight pulling the vessel down steadily.

He ran onto the deck and froze. Drago was standing over Hiccup, his brother on the ground, coughing, bleeding, obviously wounded. Drago had a sword pointed at the young man's throat, a sword that was already covered in blood.

A scream ripped from his throat, a scream so primal, so full of fear and anger that he wondered if he had really made that sound. He didn't have long to think about it before he slammed into Drago, sending them both tumbling across the deck. He was back to his feet first, racing towards Hiccup, falling to his knees next to him. The blood that pooled around him at an alarming rate was bad, the fact that he was coughing, spluttering small droplets of blood was even worse.

"Hiccup," he pleaded softly, "Hiccup... come on you can't die..."

He didn't notice how Drago got back up, raising the sword, ready to kill them both, but lowering it again when an unpleasant smile spread across his lips. He went around the two men, heading for the exit. When Wrenlou noticed he was already halfway there, and when he had jumped up, sword in hand, Drago had his bullhook once again, smirking.

"It would appear you have a choice," he said coldly, "save your friend... or go after me. That must be hard for you. Don't take too long to decide though... ship is sinking fast..."

With that the man turned around again, walking off almost casually. Wrenlou stood frozen, staring at the man he hated with everything he was, and then he looked down at Hiccup. Hiccup, who was still losing blood at an alarming rate, his moans of pain quieting already. He growled, throwing the sword down and kneeling next to Hiccup again. Shaking him lightly.

"Hiccup... hang in there," he whispered, looking around for anything to stop the bleeding, "come on... you can't die..."

Hiccup sucked in a deep breath, immediately falling into a violent coughing fit. He was shaking, barely conscious and with every breath he took Wrenlou's worry grew. He knew he had to get him off the ship. But there was no way he could do it on his own, and he was too far out for anyone to hear him. He pulled Hiccup into his arms, trying to stop the bleeding. Time seemed to slow down, seconds feeling like hours. He felt utterly helpless, unable to do anything to help his brother.

There was a soft rushing of water behind him, and splatters of sea water hit the deck. A shadow fell over him and a _huff_ of warm air tussled his hair. When he looked up the Titan Wing, his Titan Wing, was looking down at him. He shuddered, breathing a sigh of relief as he got up shakily, reaching a bloody hand out to the creature.

"Rocky..." he whispered, "Rocky... I need your help..."

The Titan Wing snorted, lowering it's head to press his snout in his open palm. The dragon then lowered his head onto the deck, waiting patiently as Wrenlou lifted Hiccup into his arms. The ship suddenly jolted and tilted sideways again, causing him to slip. Before he could fall Rocky had grabbed them, a giant claw encasing them gently, like a scaly cage as the dragon lifted from the water, and into the air. Wrenlou stayed still. The dragon may be his friend, his claws were still longer than he was, and he couldn't shake the ghost of pain that flashed through his shoulder, where the mother had hit him with those claws. He held Hiccup to his chest, the young man's eyes fluttering before finally opening, staring at the scaled skin above him.

"W...what..." he mumbled, coughing, "W...Wren...?"

"Shhh... I'm here..." he whispered, "the Titan Wing won't hurt you Hiccup, he's my friend. He's our friend."

"T...Titan..." Hiccup coughed, shaking with every breath.

Wrenlou smiled weakly, patting the giant claw. "His name is Rocky. Rockbiter, actually, but I like Rocky more. You're the second human to ever ride one... p...pretty cool huh..."

Hiccup opened his mouth to respond, instead falling into another violent coughing fit. Wrenlou shushed him gently, rubbing his back in an effort to help, but he knew the only help Hiccup needed right now was in the Great Hall, with the healers.

Rocky snorted and landed on the beach where he had crashed only minutes ago. The large dragon could easily reach the top of the cliff, and standing on his hind legs, using his other front leg as support, he opened his claw, resting it on the ground so his precious passengers could get off.

"Thank you," Wrenlou said, and he meant it with whole his heart, "Rocky, take the dragons to safety. Bring them to Dragon Island, okay?"

Rocky snorted a puff of air down at him and raised his head. The earthshattering roar that ripped from the dragon's throat froze everyone who heard it, and after a moment of complete silence, the dragons started to flock around his head. Wrenlou paid no more attention to it, looking around frantically for anyone that could help him, but most had backed away from the massive beast towering over them. He grabbed the nearest one, clenching his arm. It turned out to be Fishlegs.

"Oh my Thor!" the man breathed, dropping the sword, "Hiccup... what happened..."

"Get him to the Hall," Wrenlou said, moving Hiccup in Fishlegs' arms, "I don't care how you do it, just get him there right now."

"Right... eh..." Fishlegs stammered, looking down on Hiccup's limp form in his arms, "but... hey! Where are you going?"

"I'm going to find Drago," Wrenlou said, turning back to look at the man, "I'm going to find him and I'm going to kill him. Don't worry about me, just worry about Hiccup. Get him to the Hall, help if you need to. You can do it Fishlegs, I know you can."

Fishlegs looked nervous, but when Hiccup took a shaking gasp of air, coughing up some bright red blood, the bulky man set his jaw and nodded resolutely.

"I will not let you down," he said, his voice grim, "go get that son of a bitch."

Wrenlou watched him leave with a raised eyebrow. He had never heard Fishlegs swear before. The soft spoken boy had always held back the ugly words, but there were none better to describe Drago. He swiped a tangle of black hair from his face, grunting when it fell back to the same place.

"You'll be alright," he said softly, "hang in there brother... hang in there..."

As soon as Fishlegs and Hiccup disappeared from sight, he turned around, looking over the fight. The battle had resumed, the dragons were leaving but the men were still fighting. It seemed that the only way the battle would end, was if Drago was eliminated. He would see to it. He would make sure that Drago would pay for all the misery and suffering he had caused. The problem was, he had no idea where the man could be. He suddenly realised he had forgotten the sword on the ship and glanced back. The ship had capsized, now bobbing sideways in the water, the hole in the hull like a mouth full of jagged teeth. The sword was probably at the bottom of the ocean, along with everything else that had been on deck. He decided not to care, and took a sword from the ground as he started walking. They were literally everywhere, weapons and bodies littered the ground of Berk, which had turned red from the blood.

He shuddered as he stepped over the body of a Monstrous Nightmare, but then froze as he realised he knew this particular dragon quite well. He slowly knelt next to the head, the once brilliant yellow eyes dull, staring into nothing. They had already begun to cloud over, the bright red colour of the scales faded.

"Hookfang..." he called out softly, reaching out to the dragon, his hand hovering over the bloodied nose, "Hookfang..."

He knew the dragon was dead. He knew there was no way to bring the light back into those eyes, no way to light the dragon's flame once more. The majestic wings would never grace the sky again, the mighty roar silenced forever.

"Oh... Hookfang..."

He felt a pang of sadness for the dragon, even if he had never been close to him or his rider. After running a tentative hand over the dragon's scales and closing his eyes, his attention shifted to the figure under the dragon's wing. He didn't need to see to know who it was, but he lifted the torn membrane anyway, choking back a small sob as he saw Hiccup's cousin, Morvin as they knew him. The young Viking was covered in blood, laying motionless, all colour drained from his face. His skyblue eyes had an empty stare, and although he knew what he'd find, he checked for a pulse anyway.

He didn't find one. He hadn't expected to find one.

The man's chest looked like it had been ripped apart, clawmarks clearly cutting through armour and skin. The blood was still bubbling inside the wounds, but the bodies of both dragon and rider had started to cool. He closed Morvin's eyes as well, placing the man's sword across his chest.

"Rest in peace, Snotlout Morvin Jorgenson," he mumbled, "may the gods guide you to Valhalla to take your place among your forefathers."

He got up slowly, looking down for a moment, before he growled lowly. First Snowflake, then Hiccup, Broghan had been hurt, now Morvin had been killed. Drago wasn't going to stop. He wasn't fighting a war any more, the mad man was on a rampage.

Looking around, he finally spotted him, standing near the edge of the cliff, the one where the sheer drop didn't end on a rocky beach, but in the unforgiving waters that surrounded Berk. He clenched his hand around his sword, his knuckles white. Then he started making his way towards Drago. Every men that came in his way either let him pass or died where they were standing.

"Drago!" he screamed, "I'll kill you!"

The man turned around, and unpleasant smirk on his lips. He turned the bullhook around, the blade now pointing at his chest.

"I'd like to see you try," he grinned.

Wrenlou growled softly and raised the swords a little. He knew Drago was bigger, stronger, and that he didn't have much of a chance. But Wrenlou was pissed. He wasn't just pissed, he was furious. He could feel the anger within him, the burning hatred he felt for this man. He let the anger give him strength, power, and with a scream he charged forward, his blade meeting Drago's with so much force that sparks flew in every direction.

Drago had a disadvantage, his missing arm, but his thick armour protected him from most of Wrenlou's blows. Wrenlou however, had a disadvantage of his own. His right arm was hurting, screaming for rest, his head was pounding and his entire body was sore from the crash, and more than once he was too slow to block a strike aimed at his right side, resulting in quite a few bruises. The ground was covered in blood from both man and dragon, which made it slippery and even deadlier.

He dodged, charged and blocked, and the world seemed to blend into a swirling dual, almost a dance, where he and Drago kept trying to strike their opponent. Wrenlou got a few hits, cutting Drago's cheek, his shoulder and one across the man's chest. Drago in turn also hit Wrenlou a few times, giving him a few good cuts on his chest and arms.

Drago was driving him back, towards the cliff, but Wrenlou wasn't about to give up. With all his might he swung his weapon at Drago's head, and when the man raised his weapon and blocked the blow, Wrenlou aimed his other sword for the man's unprotected stomach. He stabbed him, drove his sword into the man's flesh, but Drago reacted fast, faster than one would expect from a man his size. He knocked the blade from Wrenlou's hand with the bottom of his bull hook, swished it around and tried to cut his abdomen and chest. Wrenlou blocked the strike aimed at his abdomen, the tip of the blade quivering only a hairs width from his skin. He had to use both his arms to keep the blade from slicing through his skin, but he could feel his strength fading, his right arm unable to hold the blade back.

"You're weak," Drago hissed, "you will die."

He looked up, his own eyes meeting Drago's dark ones, and he knew he was terrified. Drago smirked, putting more force behind his weapon, and when Wrenlou's arms gave out, the sharp tip dug into his skin, cutting from his hip up. He cried out, stumbling backwards, watching as the blood started dripping on the ground. The cut was long, seemed deep and ended just below his sternum. He knew it could have been worse, that he was lucky, but the pain that started to throb through his body didn't make him feel lucky at all.

"I got you now," Drago said, tauntingly waving the bloody bullhook, "I will kill you now.. and then I'll kill your precious little dragon... and every one you love. I'll take the dragons, and I'll burn this filthy village to the ground, until all that's left is ashes and bones."

Wrenlou screamed, grabbing his sword and charging again. He ignored the aches and pains, he ignored the tiredness. His furious attacks drove Drago back towards the edge, both swords swishing through the air rapidly, landing strike after strike. All Drago could do was try to defend himself, bleeding from the stab in his abdomen, but still stronger than Wrenlou was. One of the swords was knocked from his hand but he kept on attacking with the other.

"You've done enough!" Wrenlou screamed, "you HURT my brother! You hurt me! My dragon! My family! You attacked my HOME!"

With everything he summed up he aimed the blade at Drago's bullhook, and with the last hit the shaft splintered. Drago stared shocked at the handle he was now holding, the sharp blade of the weapon on the ground. Wrenlou was panting, his chest heaving and his arm dropped. The rage fueling the attack was slipping away, but he wasn't done with Drago yet. He pointed his blade at the man's throat, having him at his mercy.

"Still believe I can't kill you?" he said, almost sneering, "still believe you can take Berk? Do you really still believe you can beat us?"

Drago looked up, his eyes dark. He threw the broken handle to the ground, drawing an axe from his back. He raised it, slapping Wrenlou's blade away.

"I am not defeated yet, _boy_ ," the man spat, "you'll have to do better than that."

Wrenlou gritted his teeth. He could do no better. He had given everything, and his energy was as good as spent. His entire body was hurting, and his arms felt like lead. But he glared at Drago defiantly, unwilling to show the man that he was weakening. He clashed his sword against Drago's blade, pushing against the blade as Drago pushed back.

"You made a mistake coming here," Wrenlou hissed, "you made a mistake attacking Berk, you made so many mistakes I can't even count them!"

Drago growled back, suddenly lashing out with the axe. It was a large weapon, the doubleheaded blade gleaming in the light of the fires that had sprung up around Berk. With a few swings he had Wrenlou's weapon from his hands, the young man now disarmed in front of the mad man that had invaded them.

"You do not have it in you," Drago said, "you're a healer, not a fighter. You were good under my control, because I told you what to do. It can be like that again."

"Never!" Wrenlou screamed, blindly charging at Drago. He didn't have a weapon, but the anger clouded his judgement, and he just didn't think.

The large man simply stepped aside, tripping the boy as he came towards him. Wrenlou shrieked and stumbled, falling to the ground. He braced himself with his arms, still landing painfully on his already hurting elbow. He tried to get up, but his vision blurred for what seemed to be a split second, and he didn't realise that he was completely vulnerable to attack, Drago having a clear shot at his back. He only figured this out when the man took advantage of the opportunity, and brought the axe down on him.

The pain that exploded across his back was blinding, agonising, all consuming. It burned with a fire too intense to be real, but when he tried to move it shot through every muscle in his body, and he couldn't help but scream in agony. He heard a dark laugh, and a hand grabbed his arm, hauling him up. Drago was holding him in a painfully tight grip, perhaps even breaking the bone, but the pain in his back drowned out the pain from the other injuries he had gotten over the course of the battle.

"Such a pity," Drago said, shaking his head, but his lips parted in a malicious smile, "to kill two fine young men such as yourself and your... brother. You will die, knowing that you failed to protect your pathetic little village. You will die, knowing that this is all your fault. You brought this on them."

"L...liar..." Wrenlou managed to choke out, feeling a hot burning at the back of his throat.

Drago scoffed and dropped him on the ground, paying no more attention to him. He walked to the edge, staring out over the water, his sinking ship, what remained of his fleet.

"You may think you have beaten me," he said, to no one in particular although he knew Wrenlou could still hear him, "but I will get my Alpha back. I can rebuild my fleet. I can catch the dragons you stole from me. It may take a while, but I'll be back, twice as strong. And you can be sure that I will find your island, and take all your Night Furies. Who is going to stop me, you?"

Wrenlou looked up at Drago, the man standing with his back turned towards him. Biting back a scream he gathered every last bit of strength he had left and got up, his left leg strangely uncooperative. He was trying to think of a snide remark to throw at the man's head, he seemed to love snide remarks, but could think of none. It was like his brain had been taken out of his head and set aside, replaced with cotton. Drago blurred for a moment and the man was still talking, but he didn't hear it anymore. He didn't listen. He didn't care.

He took a step, almost having to drag his leg to make it move, then another, then another, and before Drago had realised what was going on behind his back, Wrenlou had slammed into him. There was enough force behind his body to throw Drago off balance, and the crumbling cliff did the rest. Large rocks broke off falling as Drago went over the edge, a cry of surprise ripping from his throat. His hand clawed at something, anything to hold on to and before Wrenlou realised what was happening, it had closed around his ankle and yanked him down into the murky waters below.

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 _Love you all! Please review and tell me what you think!_


	31. Nightmares Come True

_Hello my dear readers, I hope I didn't scare you too much... Here's the new chapter! There's a little twist at the end you might like... Let me know!  
_

 _Enjoy!_

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 **Chapter 31. Nightmares Come True**

"How is he?" Astrid asked while the healer pulled a blanket over the man they had been working on.

"I think we were able to stop the bleeding. He should be fine."

Astrid nodded. "That's good... too many have died already..."

She sighed, glancing at the side of the Hall where they had laid all the bodies of the ones who didn't make it. There were 14 so far, too many in her eyes. Berk wasn't a large village, missing 14 of it's inhabitants would have a big impact on the small town. She got up, watching the doors of the Great Hall. She could hear the fighting outside. The screaming of soldiers and dragons, the clashing of swords, and she couldn't help but think that she should be out there, with Hiccup, fighting side by side. But she made a promise, to stay away from the battle, to protect the baby. It was hard to keep that promise. She wanted to gran an axe, there were plenty laying around the Hall at the moment, and charge into battle. After all, when the dragons were still raiding the village, pregnant women fought to defend their home, why should she be different? But she also understood why Hiccup wanted her in here. He didn't want to lose her or their unborn child.

So now here she was. Surrounded by injured and dying men. She had seen three die already, many more were screaming in pain, or just gurgling while they tried to breathe with punctured lungs. Broghan had come in only a few hours ago, and his arm had looked like it had been trapped between the teeth of an angry dragon. They spend quite some time stitching the wounds, praying that he wouldn't lose his arm. Right now his prognosis looked good, but others weren't so lucky. She had seen Wrenlou, but he had disappeared not long after she had tended to his head injury. She had intended on asking Broghan where his brother had gone, but then another had been brought in. Then another, and another. Gobber had been in at some point, but he had deemed his wounds minor and had run out back to battle the moment they had been finished bandaging the cuts.

She hadn't seen Hiccup yet, and for that she was grateful. But on the other side it scared her. What if he was out there, wounded, in need of her help, but refusing do get it, stubborn as always. She sighed and looked down on her hands. They were covered in blood, and she slowly made her way over to one of the bowls with water, and did her best to wash it off. She was just drying her hands when the doors of the Hall slammed open, and the cry she had been fearing rang through the Hall.

"Get a healer out here! Hiccup's injured!"

When she turned around she saw Tuffnut standing in the doorway, his face covered in blood. She couldn't tell if it was his or not, but at this point, she didn't care. She started making her way towards him, stepping over the injured soldiers, but someone grabbed her arm and held her back gently.

"Stay here Astrid," the woman said softly, "we'll go get him. Clear a space next over there, okay? Next to Broghan."

She nodded, her heart racing in her chest. She carefully walked back to where Broghan was, his eyes fixed on the door while he sat up a little. She cleared the floor, they didn't have any other workspace since all the tables had been moved to make room for all the injured men. Then she made a bed, and since she didn't know how severe the injury was, she also made sure the healers had all the supplies they would need. She did realize she was basically a glorified nurse, but at the moment she didn't really care. Her mind was on Hiccup.

The doors opened again and Fishlegs came in, flanked by the healers that had gone to get Hiccup. The burly man laid his precious burden down on the bed she had prepared and stepped back, his face in a worried frown. Hiccup was curled up on his side, clutching his stomach, his eyes squeezed shut in pain. He was bleeding out rapidly, barely conscious by the time the healers were able to get to him. She watched anxiously as the women worked to get Hiccup's armour off, to see the extend of the wounds he had suffered, but the moment she saw what had happened to him, she gasped.

At first she thought he had been stabbed, the wound in his stomach certainly looked that way. But she soon realized that he hadn't just been stabbed, the sword had gone straight through him. There was a bleeding wound on his back at well, and the glances the healers exchanged, didn't predict much good. Before she could ask anything, one of the healers took her arm and led her away, despite her protests and struggles. But being pregnant, tired and now scared half to death, there wasn't much she could do.

"He's going to be okay, right? Tell me he's going to be alright!" she insisted, trying to get closer, but Aminda grabbed her and guided her away.

"Astrid... I don't know yet," the healer said sitting her down on a bench not too far away from Hiccup, "but at first glance, it looks really bad."

Astrid looked at her, still in shock. Then she glanced back to where the healers were fighting to save Hiccup's life.

"Y...you have to save him," she said, tears burning in her eyes, "h..he can't die.. you must save him you have to save him... please... please don't let him die... please..."

"They're doing everything they can, I promise," Aminda said, "you have to stay calm Astrid, stay calm. Take a few deep breaths..."

Astrid nodded and tried to follow the healers instructions. But the moment she took a deep breath, the tears that had been filling her eyes flowed over and she started crying, still begging the healer to save Hiccup's life. She was crying into her hands, the seriousness of the situation not fully hitting her yet. All she could think of was Hiccup, and he was potentially dying. The father of her baby was dying.

"Hey," Broghan said softly, having seen her distress he had come over, "I'll sit with her. You can help them."

The healer nodded and quickly left. Astrid looked up a little as Broghan took her place, his left arm bandaged and in a sling. He put his good arm around her shoulders and pulled her close and before she knew it, she was crying into his chest.

"He can't die," she sobbed, "he just can't. After everything he's been through, Rome, losing his leg, the fight with Snotlout, gods know what else, he just can't die now... he can't..."

"I'm sure they're doing everything they can," Broghan said softly, "they will save him."

"I wish Wrenlou was here," she said as she looked up, "he's the best healer I know. He could have saved him."

"Maybe," Broghan said while he kept an eye on the healers working on Hiccup, "but Astrid, your own healers are good too. Wrenlou is good, yes, but he's no miracle worker. People have died in his care."

"But not Hiccup!" Astrid said forcefully, "not in Rome, not when he lost his leg. Wrenlou hasn't let him die yet!"

Broghan sighed and looked at the ground. "It came close... after... after Rome... we almost lost him. He never told us all that happened, only they know. He's probably not even told you, did he?"

Astrid shook her head. It was the one thing Hiccup had always kept from her, always avoided when she asked about it. She knew what had happened, sure, but she didn't know the details.

"He'll be fine," Broghan said, "you'll see. Hiccup is stronger that one gives him credit for."

She smiled weakly. She had found out that Hiccup's small frame housed quite a bit of strength, the result of both hard training and dedication. She looked over to where she knew the healers were working on saving Hiccup, and placed a hand on her belly.

"Hiccup grew up without his mother," she said softly, "I don't want his baby to grow up without a dad."

Broghan took her hand in his, rubbing a finger over the ring she wore. "He won't, okay? Your baby will know his father."

"Or she..." Astrid whispered, "it could be a girl..."

"What are you hoping for?" Broghan asked, trying to distract her from Hiccup, hoping that thinking about something else would calm her down a little.

"Oh... eh... I don't know..." Astrid said while she wiped at the tears on her cheeks, "I guess... I want it to be a girl... but a boy would be nice too... it makes no difference... right?"

"Well, according to my mom, boys are more trouble," Broghan said, "she had me... then she had Wren and Josh... my sisters... so I suppose she could know. But personally, I have no experience with babies. I suck at handling kids. They always seem to hate me."

Astrid looked down, at her hand on her belly. "Who knows..." she said, "maybe there are some siblings in this child's future."

"Having siblings is great," Broghan said, "although being the oldest sucks. You always get blamed for stuff, and younger kids always get away with things that would have gotten you killed, so to speak, just because you were the oldest!"

"I don't know anything about that..." Astrid muttered.

"Are you an only child?" Broghan asked.

"No... I had an older sister... but she died when I was six. I hardly remember her. And my parents never discussed her much."

"How did she die?" Broghan asked.

"In a fire..." Astrid said, "during a dragon raid... she was nearly ten years older than me, and I remember seeing her as the perfect sister. She always trained hard, she was a good fighter. I always wanted to be like her. The only reason she's dead is because she ran into our house to save me."

"Is that why you distance yourself?" Broghan asked, slowly beginning to understand the girl, "and why you train so hard?"

Astrid nodded. "I still have her axe. I can't let it go... up until we made peace with the dragons, I vowed to kill as many as I could using that axe, to avenge her."

He nodded, watching the healers work solemnly. He stood abruptly, Astrid looking at him in confusion.

"I'll go find Wrenlou," he said, "there has to be something he can do."

She nodded, looking down again. Broghan looked at her, kneeling in front of her, placing his hand on her knee.

"You stay here okay?" he said softly, "I'm sure the healers are doing everything they can. Would you like some water?"

It was such an odd request that it threw her off for a moment. She sat, silent, and frowned until she understood what he had asked. Then she nodded and the man disappeared, coming back not long after with a cup.

"Here," he said, handing it to her, "try to stay calm. You won't help Hiccup if you freak out, and you won't help the baby either, okay? I know it's hard and I know you're worried, I am too believe me, but the best thing for you to do is keep it together."

"I'll try..." she said, not knowing if she could, "please hurry."

"I'll be back before you know it, "Broghan smiled faintly, "in and out as you might say."

Before she could answer he had left, weaving through the maze of patients and healers, carefully stepping on the small paths they had left . It was such a hustle in the Great Hall that is was almost dangerous, healers running around with needles and scissors, rushing from patient to patient. When he stepped outside, the cold air hit him like a slap in the face and he shuddered. Inside it had been warm, out here it was freezing.

As he walked down the steps of the Hall the first thing he noticed was that most of the armoured dragons seemed to have disappeared. In fact, most of the dragons had disappeared, armoured or not. He wasn't sure of that was a good thing or not, and right now he found he couldn't really care. It seemed a good thing that the dragons were gone. The threat of fireballs raining from the sky was gone, the fires could finally be put out.

He ducked below a sword, ready to fight but the man swinging it wasn't interested in him. He was able to sneak away unnoticed, trying to find his brother in the mass of bodies and weapons. He had to hide a few more times, jumping to find cover, but he eventually found Wrenlou, and when he did, his blood ran cold.

He knew Wrenlou could be reckless when one of his friends had gotten hurt, but he hadn't expected him to go against Drago all by himself. And yet here he was, battling the large invader, rage etched onto his face. He knew that he was only trying to avenge what had happened to Hiccup, but he wished his brother wouldn't be such a fool. He started pushing though the crowd, only catching glimpses of the fight, but he saw how Drago disarmed Wrenlou seemingly without any effort at all.

"Come on... let me through!" he snarled at the wall of fighters that blocked his path, "move aside!"

He didn't see what happened next, but he heard the scream, and he froze, one hand raised to punch a man to make him move. The fight around him came to a halt, everyone turning to look at what had caused the scream, and the wall of people blocking his path only grew.

"Wrenlou..." he whispered, desperately trying to push trough and finally, finally the mass parted to let him pass, "no... Wrenlou..."

He was panicking now. He knew his little brother didn't possess the strength to defeat Drago. Hiccup hadn't been able to do it, and in all honesty, Hiccup was the better fighter when it came to hand to hand combat. When he was finally able to break onto the small clearing that had formed, he stopped, staring in complete, utter shock.

Drago had his back turned to them, speaking about something he couldn't understand. Wrenlou was on the ground behind him, covered in blood, shaking, his face twisted in pain. Before he could move Wrenlou had gotten up, stumbling towards Drago, gathering all his strength to slam into him and push him off the cliff. And it worked. The large man fell. For just a moment he felt elated, glad that the battle was finally over. But his happy feeling was short lived. He barely saw how Drago got a hold of Wrenlou, just that his brother was yanked down, too surprised to scream. He barely heard the splash of two bodies hitting the water, he could only stare at the now empty cliff.

When he finally came to his senses again, he rushed forward, stopping at the edge of the cliff, but there was no sign of the two men. The waves below them crashed against the rocks as ever, the dark water almost mocking him, telling him that it wouldn't give up what was so generously given to the deep.

"No..." he whispered, "no... it can't be true..."

He dropped to his knees, still staring at the water. Stoick came up next to him but he didn't notice it. He only saw the man when he cleared his throat, and he nearly jumped at the sound of his voice.

"I'm sorry," Stoick said, "I really am."

"he can't be gone," Broghan whispered, "he just can't be..."

"Look," Stoick said, "I understand that right now you're grieving, but have you seen Hiccup? I can't find him anywhere."

"Hiccup's in the Great Hall," Broghan said and he looked up, "Drago... Drago stabbed him. That's why Wren was so mad... that's why he had gone after him alone."

"Stabbed...?" Stoick asked in disbelief, "will he be alright?"

"I don't know okay!?" Broghan snapped, "I was going to find Wrenlou so he could help Hiccup, but now he's dead! Hiccup's probably dead too! No one can help him now..."

He knew it wasn't entirely true. Aminda and her girls were fine healers who could most likely save Hiccup's life as well, but his mind was still spinning with what he had just seen. He couldn't, wouldn't accept that his brother had died. Stoick hurried off, and the rest of the Berkians started disarming what was left of Drago's army. The fight was over. They had won. He didn't feel like a winner.

"Oh Wren..." he mumbled, staring at the water again, "why do you always have to be so... reckless..."

A dark shape shifted against the raging waves, and before he realised what was happening, Drago's Alpha shot up out of the water. It rose high above the cliff, staring down at them as the people below scrambled for safety. It lowered itself some, placing one giant paw on the edge of the cliff, the stone cracking and crumbling.

"Go away," Broghan said, "your master is dead. You have no business here. Leave. Turn around."

The dragon snorted, spraying a fine mist over his hair and lowered its head. The frills on its head quivered as he rested it on the ground. Broghan frowned, looking at the dragon in front of him. The beast had lost his menacing look, almost appearing to be a frightened child who had lost his only parent.

"Look..." he said, "we can't help you, okay? You'll have to find your own place in the world now. You're free to go wherever you want, do anything you want. Just... go... leave Berk alone."

The dragon snorted again, pulling it's head away and bringing it's other paw up. He nudged something onto the ground, looking at Broghan again, a questioning look in his once angry eyes.

"What is it..." Broghan asked, daring to move a little closer, "what did you find..."

Only when the dragon pulled its paw away did he see what it was. It was a person. And it certainly wasn't Drago. He stood frozen for a moment, not entirely comprehending that Drago's Alpha, the one that had attacked them and tried to turn their own dragons against them, had actually saved his brother. The dragon let out a low croon, nudging the still figure once again, before turning to look at him again.

"You saved him..." Broghan whispered as soon as he knelt next to Wrenlou, "I can't believe it... thank you. Thank you so much..."

The dragon let out a long wail and retreated back into the ocean. It moved into the water so fluently that there was hardly a splash, and when he was sure the dragon was completely gone, he dared to take a breath again.

"Wrenlou," he whispered, shaking him slightly, "Wrenlou come on, wake up. Come on... I need you to save Hiccup..."

Wrenlou coughed weakly, glancing up at him. Someone grabbed his arm, pulling him to his feet but he struggled angrily, not willing to leave his brother behind.

"We'll take both of you to the Hall," a man he knew was called Sven said, "stop fidgeting... I'm putting ya down already."

Broghan nodded, letting Sven set him down and he watched as the Viking lifted Wrenlou easily. He followed him to the Hall, occasionally glancing back at the cliff, still not quite believing what had happened. Maybe, just maybe, Drago's Alpha wasn't so bad after all.


	32. If I Should Die

_So... I am sorry for taking so long with this... this chapter gave me many problems, mainly because if the feels and emotions and broken hearts. I am sorry, in advance, to everyone who feels sad, or extremely sad while reading this. I really am. Please review if you feel the need to yell at me._

 _Enjoy. Or not._

* * *

 **Chapter 32. If I Should Die**

"What happened?" Aminda asked as soon as she saw Sven arrive with Wrenlou in his arms, Broghan close behind.

"I... it was Drago," Broghan said, "he's hurt but I don't know how bad... I'm not even sure where."

"We'll soon fix that," Aminda said, "come over here, next to Hiccup."

"Hiccup..." Broghan whispered. In his worry and fear for his brother's life he had almost forgotten about the young man.

"How is he?" he asked, "will he be okay?"

"We've stopped the bleeding for now," Aminda said as she washed her hands in a bowl of water, gesturing to one of her girls to help her, "we'll have to wait and see if he can pull through. Alright, I want you to take his tunic off. We have to stop this bleeding... where is all this blood even coming from..."

The girl nodded, taking a small knife and simply cutting through the bloodsoaked fabric. Broghan gasped when he saw the long cut on his brother's chest but Aminda quickly dismissed his worries.

"It doesn't look deep," she said, "we'll stitch and bandage it and I expect he'll be back to work by the morning. Knowing him he's not going to stay in bed for long."

"So he'll be able to help Hiccup right?" Astrid asked, "he'll be able to save him?"

"He'll certainly try," Aminda said with a faint smile, "can you hand me the suture needle dear? It's over there, to your right. Yes, that one will be fine, thank you."

She took the small needle from the young girl, threading it with skillfull fingers. "Broghan," she said suddenly, "I'll need your help too. I won't be able to numb all the pain, so you'll have to keep him down while I do this. You to dear, over there, now push down... not to hard... yes, that's perfect."

"Isn't she a little young to be surrounded by so much death...?" Broghan asked softly, glancing at the girl. He estimated her to be no older than 12, maybe 13 years old.

"No one is forcing her to do anything she doesn't want to," Aminda said, "just hold him and let me do my work."

Broghan simply nodded,, looking down on his brother as Aminda continued her work. Wrenlou whimpered and squirmed as she stitched the cut back together, but he was far too weak to really move.

"You'll be fine," Broghan whispered, "you'll see. You will be just fine. Just be still.. let her do her work and it will be alright."

Wrenlou coughed, his eyes fluttering open. Broghan smiled weakly when he noticed this, squeezing his hand lightly to show his support.

"H...Hiccup..." Wrenlou mumbled, coughing again, "w...where..."

"He's right here," Broghan said, glancing at the other man and Astrid, "he's still alive. He's still hanging on Wren, he's not dead yet, okay? You can still save him."

"L...leg's numb..." Wrenlou mumbled, closing his eyes, "back... hurts..."

"Your back?" Aminda asked frowning, "and your leg feels numb?"

"Is that bad?" Broghan asked, looking at her worriedly, "what does that mean?"

"I don't know..." she mumbled, slipping one hand under Wrenlou's back, "I don't... I hope..."

She pulled her hand back, stopping when she found it covered in blood. She then checked the wound on his chest again, shaking her head.

"Help me turn him over," she said, "carefully. I'm afraid we missed something. It might be bad."

"What do you mean missed something bad," Broghan asked, fear creeping into his heart.

"This Broghan," she said, showing him the blood on her hand, "this has to come from somewhere."

"He's covered with it!" Broghan protested, "the cut..."

"Couldn't possibly have bled this much," Aminda said curtly, "now shut up and help me turn him over. We need to find the source of this blood before he bleeds to death."

"Right... okay... yes..." Broghan said, looking down, "how can I help..."

"Grab his shoulder," Aminda said, "gently. I'll bet his legs. Okay... careful now, we don't know what is wrong and I don't want to risk making it worse... okay, good."

"That's... that's a lot of blood..." Broghan said quietly, staring at his brother's back.

Aminda simply nodded, taking a clean cloth and dipping it in some luke warm water. Then she started washing the blood of Wrenlou's skin in long, swift strokes, keeping her touch gentle. At first they found nothing, but Wrenlou suddenly jerked, whimpering and Aminda stopped, taking a deep breath.

"This is bad..." she said softly, "this is very, very bad."

"Very bad how?" Broghan asked, "what's wrong? Wait... is that..."

"What kind of weapon did Drago have?" Aminda asked, washing some more blood away from the deep gash, "sword, axe..."

"It was an axe I believe," Broghan said, "I don't know for sure. Does this mean... did he... did he do that...?"

"He must have," she said, now examining the wound, "and he's been extremely lucky. It's just a breath away from his spine, just a little to the right and he would have been killed instantly. But I'm afraid that this does mean he won't be able to help Hiccup for a while. I'm afraid he won't be able to help anyone..."

"No... he has to," Astrid said, "he has to... he has to save Hiccup..."

"Astrid he's lucky to be alive," Aminda said, "and I know how worried you are about Hiccup, but Wrenlou is in no condition to help anyone. I wish I had a better answer for you but right now, they're both fighting for their lives. To be honest, I don't even know how they're still alive... they must have the gods on their side today."

Astrid looked down, one hand on her baby bump, the other holding Hiccup's. She tried to fight back the tears but the emotions were overwhelming her.

"It isn't fair..." she whispered, "it just isn't fair... why did this have to happen to him... why Hiccup... why did he have to get hurt."

"He was trying to protect the ones he loves..." Broghan said softly, looking down on Wrenlou and she wasn't entirely sure if he was talking about him or Hiccup, "they both were. They were just trying to keep you safe..."

"That doesn't make it better!" she almost screamed at him, "it doesn't... it's not fair... not fair..."

Broghan didn't answer, but she felt how Stoick gently rubbed her back in a small effort to console her. She knew that the Chief was just as worried as she was, but that he was just better at hiding it from them.

"Alright," Aminda said, pulling a blanket over Wrenlou, "he's not to be moved, not by anyone, not for any reason, understand? We don't want to make it any worse."

"Worse how..." Broghan asked, "how much worse can it get."

"He said his leg felt numb," the healer said while she washed her hands, "now I'm not sure if that has anything to do with that wound, and I'm not saying it does, but there's a chance the nerves were damaged, in which case I want to make sure we don't make it worse. If we move him, he could lose all feeling in his leg, or even the ability to use it."

"Y...you're not serious..." Broghan stammered, "you can't be..."

"I know nothing for sure right now," Aminda said while she moved back to Hiccup, putting a hand on his forehead to check if he had a fever, "looks like the bleeding has stopped... good... he doesn't appear to have a fever yet, so lets hope he'll be okay."

"Aminda," Stoick spoke up before anyone else had a chance to, "we need to talk."

The woman nodded solemnly and got up, waiting for Stoick to do the same. The man looked tired, his hair and beard streaked with blood that probably wasn't his own, his arms and clothes also smeared with the red substance. He didn't appear to be injured, but he could be hiding it, not wanting them to see he was hurt. He looked fierce and strong, but his hands were shaking at his sides, the only sign of his worry and sorrow.

"How many have died so far," he asked softly, glancing at the corner where they had put all the bodies, "how many injured."

"We have 27 dead as of now," Aminda said, diverting her gaze to the ground, "as for how many injured... we have 15 serious at the moment, Hiccup and Wrenlou included. There are many minor injuries, mostly just cuts and scrapes, things like that. Look... Stoick..."

He held up his hand, silencing her. "Thank you... that was all..."

"No... Chief," she said, "you have to hear this. We found Morvin, or Snotlout, whatever you want to call him." She turned to Broghan, a sad look in her eyes. "I'm sorry, but he was killed along with his dragon."

"Wait..." Broghan said, standing up, "Morvin's dead? And Hookfang too? But... how! How could that happen!"

"That's not all..." she said softly, "Broghan... I know you don't want to hear this right now, especially with your brothers fighting for their lives, but..."

"But what!" He demanded, not caring that people, turned to look at him, "what!"

"Sharon," Aminda said, "she was badly injured. Broghan, she lost both her legs in an explosion and I don't think she'll make it through the night. I've done what I could, but she's lost so much blood and the trauma is so great that I'm afraid she won't be strong enough to pull through."

"W...what...?" Broghan stammered, staring at her in utter shock, "n...no... that can't be... no... you're lying tell me you're lying... she can't be d... no... not Sharon..."

"I'm sorry Broghan," Aminda said softly, "she's right over there if you want to see her. Leila and her sister are there with her, they won't leave her side."

"B...but..." Broghan started, looking from Hiccup and Wrenlou to where she had pointed, "this can't be happening... tell me this isn't happening..."

"Broghan..." Aminda started, reaching out but he slapped her hand away.

"You're lying," he said, tears burning in his eyes, "she's not dying. She can't be. It just isn't true."

"Go see for yourself," Aminda said softly, "they're right over there. I'm sure they can use your support."

"Who am I to give support..." Broghan mumbled, glancing down on Hiccup and Wrenlou, "too many... too many have died... why them..."

Astrid looked down as she saw the man make his way through the rows of injured people on the floor. She had seen the shock and sorrow in his eyes and knew that was how she had looked when she had found out that Hiccup had been stabbed. She held his hand tighter, fixing her eyes on Hiccup's face, silently praying to every god she knew.

"Stoick?" she heard Aminda ask, "what do we do with what's left of Drago's army? His hunters? I heard the dragons have all left, but what about the men? There will be plenty of them hurt or dying as well out there."

"Berkians come first," Stoick grumbled, and she heard the grief in his voice, "treat our own first. I'll send people out to take all of Drago's men into the prison, when you are done here you can go there and treat their injuries as well if you so desire. To be honest I don't care if they all die. They attacked my village, they killed my people... I do not care for them. Help them if you want, but know that you'll only be helping them to stand trial for their crimes."

Aminda nodded, bowing slightly. "Yes Chief," she said softly, "I understand. I''ll see what I can do."

Astrid stayed silent. She had no idea of how bad it was out there. She didn't know how many houses were still standing, how many people still lay dying on the battlefield. All she knew were things the men had told her, the stories about the armoured dragons Drago brought along, and how they had all vanished. Hiccup, her brave Hiccup had tried to kill Drago and failed, almost paying for it with his life. Wrenlou, able to be quite vengeful as she had come to know, had done what she had expected him to do. And now he too was badly injured. She glanced in the direction she had seen Broghan leave in. she hadn't even known about Sharon or any of the other Dragoncity riders until Aminda's words not too long ago, and although she didn't know the three girls that well, she still felt the hurt in her chest grow.

"Oh Hiccup..." she whispered, "what went wrong... you're so strong... brave... how could this happen... why you..."

She was sure everyone was asking the same question when looking at their injured loved ones. She didn't dare to look around anymore, hearing the cries and screams even louder now that the fighting had stopped. As carefully as she could she nestled down next to Hiccup, resting her arm across his chest, her head on his shoulder.

"Please be okay..." she whispered in his ear before kissing his cheek, "you have to meet your baby okay...? You have to be here to watch him grow..."

She glanced in the direction of Broghan again, no longer able to see the man. She sure hoped that what Aminda had said was exaggerated. Deep down she knew it wasn't.

He almost stumbled through the Hall, freezing when he found what Aminda had told him was true. Sharon was laying on the floor, a blanket covering her up to her chin. Her skin was almost as white as the sheets she was laying on, her blond hair covered with red. Her sister and Leila were next to her, the former crying into her hands and Leila doing everything she could to console her friend. It took a while before they noticed him, and Leila was the first to jump up and hug him tightly, barely able to fight back tears.

"W...we need Wren..." she whispered, "where is he... she's dying Broghan... she can't die... Wren must know something that can save her... We have to find him."

"W...wren...?" he stammered, pulling away from her, "Wren... h...he... he's hurt... he can't come... tell me this isn't real..."

"H...hurt..." Leila asked, here eyes full of shock and disbelief, "what do you mean hurt..."

"Drago got him," Broghan said, "Wren... he went after him because... because he stabbed Hiccup. You know Wren... he w...wouldn't stop... and Drago..."

"I...is it bad..." Leila asked, "he will be able to come soon, right?"

"D...doubt it..." Broghan said, looking away, "he and Hiccup... they could be dying too..."

She stared at him in shock, shakily sitting down again. Susan finally looking up as well. Her eyes were red, her cheeks wet from the tears.

"She saved me," she whispered, looking at her sister, gently holding her hand, "it should have been me... she saved my life. It's my fault..."

"No," Broghan said, a little louder than he meant to, "it's not your fault, it's mine. I brought you here. I should have gone alone."

"No... no you shouldn't have..." Leila said, taking his hand.

He looked up at her. There was a bandage around her head, her left cheek covered in dried up blood. One of her shoulders was bandaged as well but other than that she seemed to be okay.

"Look what happened," he said, looking away from her, "Morvin and Hookfang dead, Sharon... It's my fault. None if you should have been here. I should have come alone..."

"And what good would that have done..." Susan whispered, "we all came willingly... we knew the risks, didn't we... Is it any different from the risks we take at home...?"

"Su..." he said, looking at the girl, "Sharon is dying and it's my fault... I shouldn't have brought her here... I shouldn't have... what will happen to... to Windrider when she's gone...?"

He frowned. What had happened to the dragons? The last time he had seen Moonchaser was when he had attacked a Gronckle that had gone after his rider. He hadn't seen Toothless, or Snowflake at all, let alone any of the other dragons. The knot in his stomach grew, a tightness gripping at his throat. What if they had all been killed?

"I don't know..." Susan whispered, "b...but... S...Sky..."

"You mean Skygazer?" he asked, "what about him... what happened..."

"He saved my life too..." the girl whispered, suddenly crying again, "b...but..."

"But what?" he asked, "what happened? Where is he? Where are the dragons?"

"I don't know where they are," Susan cried, "but Skygazer... Sky's dead. He's gone. My dragon's dead..."

"No..." Broghan whispered, stumbling back, "tell me it's not... oh gods Susan... I'm so sorry..."

He wasn't sure of the girl had heard him. She was crying loudly, violent sob shaking her body. Not even Leila seemed to be able to calm her down, and he understood why. He couldn't quite understand the heartache that came with losing ones dragon, he could only imagine what it must feel like.

"I'm so sorry..." he mumbled, the guilt building in his chest, "this is all my fault... Hiccup.. Wren... Morvin... and Sharon and Sky too... they'd all be fine if it hadn't been for me..."

"You know that isn't true," Leila whispered.

But Broghan wasn't listening anymore. He pushed his way through the crowd, stumbling outside. The tears that had been burning finally started to flow freely, unable to be held back any longer. The moment he stepped outside the smell of burning flesh and blood forced it's way into his nostrils and he gagged, stumbling against the wall. It took a while before the sick feeling had lessened some and he was able to look around. The Berkians were still searching for the wounded, but the agonized screams had faded away. The village was quiet now, plumes of smoke still rising from the buildings, some completely reduced to a pile of ashes.

He wandered over the battlefield, not sure what he was looking for. His dragon, maybe, or something that told him this was all a dream. A very bad dream, but a dream he could wake up from. But he couldn't ignore the stabbing pain in his arm, the howling of the dying men still ringing in his ears, or the foul stench that drenched the air and clung to everything it came into contact with. He came across several dead hunters, some complete ripped in half. He tried to breathe as shallow as possible, to avoid inhaling too much of the rancid smell that filled the air, but it was almost impossible.

Leaning against a lone wall, the rest of the building a charred pile of rubble, he closed his eyes, letting his tears flow. No matter what anyone said, it _was_ his fault that they had been here, that they had died. Wrenlou's letter had been addressed to him, and him alone. He should have gone alone, but the rest had insisted on coming. Why had he agreed to that... why had he let them.

"Broghan? Shouldn't you be with your brother?"

"Chief Stoick..." he said, looking up at the man in front of him, "I... I needed some fresh air... b...but it's...not... why aren't you with Hiccup?"

"I want to," the man said, "but a Chief's duties never end. Especially in times like these. My people need me. There's no time for rest now. We have to build pyres... and... ships..."

Broghan looked down and nodded. "Chief Stoick?" he asked, "do you know where the dragons are? I haven't seen them and I'm just... so worried..."

"The stables," Stoick said, "that's where they are. Broghan, are you okay? You're white as snow, you look terrible."

"It's my fault..." the young man whispered, "my fault they were here, my fault they're injured and... dead..."

"Look at me," Stoick said, placing one hand on his shoulder, "you can't blame yourself for what happened. If anyone's to blame, it's Drago. Drago and his greed, his savagery. It's a good thing he's dead because I would have ripped his head off myself if he hadn't been." He looked at Broghan, frowning. "You should go back inside, you really don't look very well."

"N...no," Broghan said, pulling away from the wall and the man, "I need to see the dragons... I have to... I must know... are they hurt? Is someone taking care of them?"

"I don't know those things," Stoick said, "but the stables are that way, if you're sure."

He nodded a little, slowly walking off. He almost tripped, nearly falling onto a broken blade still clutched in the deathgrip of its owner. The stabled were easy to find and once he was inside he found it was easier to breathe. The smell of burning corpses wasn't as present in here. It was quiet, the soft snoring of at least a few dozen dragons the only sound. There was no screaming, no crying, just the soft breaths of sleeping dragons.

"How can they be sleeping..." he wondered, "how can they..."

"Because I gave them all Dragon nip," a voice behind him said, "if I hadn't, they would tear me, each other and this place apart. May I ask who you are?"

He turned around, staring into the face of a young girl. She was wearing a bloody apron, much like Aminda was, and she was holding an armful of bandages. She was no older than 13, maybe 14, but she looked like someone that was not to be messed with. She repeated her question, her tone demanding and a little louder than it had been, a cold stare in her brown eyes.

"Broghan..." he said, "I'm just... looking for the Night Furies."

"You're one of the riders are you not?" the girl asked, smiling a little when he nodded, "the Furies are over there. All five of them accounted for."

"There should be six..." he whispered, "n...not five..."

"Yeah..." she said, looking down, "I'm sorry... I couldn't save the sixth... he's over there... I did what I could. I'm really sorry."

He looked to the corner she had pointed at, feeling his heart crumble in his chest when he saw the still, black shape of a Night Fury. Even in the half dark he could tell that it was indeed Skygazer, Susan's dragon. The dragon looked at peace, almost like he was sleeping too, but he was too still.

"Why is faith so cruel..." he whispered, "why did this happen... her dragon... her sister... it just can't be true..."

"The others are over there," the girl said, "if you need anything, I'll be right there, trying to bandage the tail of a Nadder."

He hardly registered her words, her voice sounding like she was miles away. He went towards the other Night Furies, finding them curled up around each other, grieving in their own way for their fallen friend. It was easy to spot Snowflake, the bandages nearly invisible against her skin, but the blood was that much easier to see. Toothless was next to her, his head resting on her back. Moonchaser and Sephina were curled around Windrider, the dragon whimpering softly, his eyes fixed on the corner where his brother was. The blood was invisible on their dark scales, but he knew it was there. All the dragons had a few bandages in several different places, some stained with blood. He slipped in, the dragons hardly acknowledging his presence. It was clear that they too were under the influence of the Dragon nip, to ease the pain and keep them calm. He was certain they would have been tearing the Hall apart to get to their riders of they hadn't been drugged.

"It's not fair..." he whispered, sliding down to the ground, "not fair... all my fault... you should be with them... Windrider, Snow... Toothy... you should be with your riders... and in Dragoncity you could have been. Why is Berk so damn small... why did I allow you all to come... why are they all dying... Sharon... my brothers... Gods why are you so cruel."

He rested his head against the rough wood of the wall, closing his eyes. The horrors he had seen today were burned into his memory, and he knew he wouldn't be able to get rid of them easily. He remembered how he had enjoyed listening to the songs and stories of great heroes who fought in many battles, but the stories couldn't have prepared him for the terrible reality of a real battle. War wasn't pretty, or neat. War wasn't easy, no matter how well you were trained. War was messy and bloody and terrible. It destroyed lives and homes, entire families and tribes. And now it had taken his friends. Sharon, with her bright smile and witty comments, lay dying. Morvin, who he had come to trust with his live, was gone. Hookfang, the hot tempered Monstrous Nightmare who was always so protective of his rider had died doing just that. And Skygazer, the Night Fury he had known since the day he had hatched, would never spread his wings again. He couldn't help it. The pain and sorrow in his heart overwhelmed him. He simply buried his face in his hands, and cried.


	33. And You Should Live

_Hello my faithful readers,_

 _First of all let me tell you, I am sorry it took so long. There are some personal things going on in my family that are hard on all of us, and this month will be the hardest one of all, so I am not sure when I'll update again, but I do know I will not make you wait this long again._

 _Thank you all for your continuing support and patience, you are all wonderful people who deserve much more than I could ever give you. I hope you enjoy this chapter!_

 _Sorry again, for the long, looong wait..._

 _Enjoy!_

* * *

 **Chapter 33. And You Should Live**

"Where do you think Broghan went?" Astrid asked softly.

"I don't know," Leila said, looking down, "this is just all so hard. For all of us. We've been through so much together. We've risked our lives together. Susan and Sharon have been my best friends since I can remember and now... not to mention that his brothers are hurt and I just... I don't know..."

She nodded quietly, glancing over at Leila, who was now sitting next to Wrenlou. The girl seemed torn, glancing back and forth between the man at her feet and the twins, who were not that far away. She knew the gnawing worry she must be feeling, she had had it herself from the moment she heard Drago had arrived, but to know one of your best friends was dying and being unable to do anything about it, she had no idea how that felt.

"It's so messed up..." Leila whispered, "why would someone... why would Drago do all this. What made him hate the dragons so much that he'd use them like that."

Astrid shrugged a little. She had thought about Drago's reasons for attacking, but she hadn't been able to figure him out. She simply didn't know enough.

"Broghan! I can't let that dragon in here!" Aminda's voice sounded from the door, and when they looked up they saw Broghan standing there, a Night Fury at his side. It wasn't Toothless, she knew that much, but she had no idea which one it was.

"She's dying!" Broghan shot back, "and I'll be damned if she does so without her dragon there. Now either this dragon goes in to be with his rider, or she comes out here and into the stables to be with her dragon."

"She cannot be moved!" Aminda said, an angry tone seeping into her voice, and now Astrid realised that they were talking about Sharon.

"That makes it easy then doesn't it," Broghan said, "he's coming in."

"Broghan..." Aminda started, but a glare from the young man had her shut up. "Very well then," she said, "wait here I'll clear a space for him. Don't move until I get back."

Broghan nodded, the stern look disappearing as soon as Aminda had turned around, the worry once again etched on his face. He waited until she came back, but before she could there was a hand on his shoulder and when he looked up he found Stoick standing next to him. The man looked exhausted, dark circles under his eyes, his beard seemed to have much more grey than before. He appeared to have aged 20 years overnight.

"Chief," he said softly, giving the man a short nod, "is there something you need?"

"I need you to tell me what to do with Snotl... Morvin," the man said, his fatigue also reflecting in his voice, "what should be done with his body?"

Broghan looked down, shuddering a little. "He always said he wanted yo be buried like a true Viking," he said softly, "that has always been his wish."

Stoick nodded. "I'll tell the builders to construct another pyre."

His voice was flat, without any emotion and it was clear that he was struggling greatly with the loss of so many of his people.

"Hookfang needs to go with him," Broghan added, meeting the Viking Chief's eyes, "that is the Dragoncity tradition. Dragon and rider are always laid to rest together."

A small, tired smile flashed over Stoick's face and he nodded. "It will be done."

Silence fell for a moment, then Stoick spoke up again.

"How's Hiccup?" he asked softly, "and is there any word on Wrenlou? I also heard about your lady friend and her dragon..."

Broghan looked down, looking over to the place he knew his friends to be.

"I don't know," he said, "Hiccup and Wren will probably be okay... but I don't know. And Sharon... s...she... if she dies... she needs to go back to Dragoncity... she needs to be with her family... n...no matter what."

"I'll have a separate pyre build," Stoick said softly, gently squeezing the young man's shoulder, "just in case you need it. We'll get her home, I promise."

Broghan nodded a little, looking at the dragon at his side. "Thanks..." he mumbled, looking up when Aminda called him over. He glanced back at Stoick, but the man had already left, walking down the steps, his posture somewhat slouching. He turned back when Aminda called again, gesturing at him to come over.

"Come boy..." he said softly, "lets go see your rider, okay?"

0-0-0-0-0

That morning the skies were filled with grey clouds, heavy with snow or rain, yet not a drop had fallen. The village had become quiet, the people tired after they had worked through the night. Drago's men had been disposed off, their bodies either given to the ocean or burned. There were several plumes of smoke still rising towards the grey clouds above, the only indicator that bodies had been burned just hours earlier. The streets of Berk were deserted, the occasional dragon or yak would lumber between the houses that were still standing. Only a small group of people was outside, standing on a cliff, overlooking the ocean. They had gathered around a pyre, on it were two bodies.

"I can't believe they're gone..." Susan whispered, her hand clenched around the torch.

Broghan slipped his arm around her shoulders, gently pulling her closer to his chest.

"I know," he said softly, "neither can I."

"It isn't fair..." Susan said and she looked up at him, "what am I going to do without her... what will my parents think... what about... I don't... I don't know if I can go on without her..."

"You're strong," Broghan said, gently pulling the torch from her hand, "I'm not saying it will be easy, I know it won't be, but we can get through it. Together. Like we always have."

"But it's not like we always have," Susan said, "my dragon is gone... my sister is too... everything's different now."

"Drago destroyed a lot of lives," Broghan admitted as he glanced back at the town, "not just ours... we've lost some of our friends, others could still die, but we are still here, and as long as we are, they're never truly gone. As long as we remember them, they'll live forever."

Susan nodded a little, wiping some tears away. "How... how did Wren do it," she asked softly, "after Josh died..."

"Honestly?" Broghan asked, looking at her, "I have no idea. Josh was my brother too, but I was never as close to him as Wren was. You'll have to ask him... I just don't know. I think he just kept moving forward, because Josh wouldn't have wanted him to give up. Just like your sister didn't want you to give up."

Susan nodded a little, all of them watching silently as Broghan lit the pyre, the flames quickly engulfing the bodies on it. The smoke curled up into the sky, disappearing into the grey clouds and as the fire burned they simply watched on. There was nothing else they could do.

0-0-0-0-0

Astrid shot up, her eyes shooting through the Hall before she looked at Hiccup, a panicked look on her face. Her fiancée was laying still, his face as white as sheet and she couldn't immediately tell if he was breathing or not.

"Hiccup?" she called out, shaking him some, "Hiccup... please wake up..."

There was a hand on her shoulder, and Aminda knelt next to her. "Is everything alright? Do you need anything?"

"Hiccup... is he... he isn't..." Astrid stammered, "did he..."

"He's still alive," Aminda said, "for some... miraculous reason. The gods must still have a plan for him on this earth, that they send him back to us."

"I... I dreamt that... he was gone," Astrid said, looking down.

"You dreamt that he had died?" Aminda asked, offering her some water.

"No," Astrid said while taking the cup, "I dreamt that he... vanished, I think is the right word. I woke up and he was just... gone. Like he was never even here. And I got so scared for a moment just then and I just... I don't know if I can do this... we don't even know if he'll pull through!"

"He's made it through the night, and that's a good sign." Aminda said while she got up and walked around her to kneel next to Hiccup, "lets hope that there will be no infections or fever, and I believe he should be just fine. Or, reasonably fine. As much as one can be after... such a traumatic experience..."

Astrid looked down, taking Hiccup's hand. She rubbed the bandages that had been wrapped around it, eyeing the small blood stain on the back.

"Aminda..." she asked, looking up at the healer, "what happened to his hand?"

"I'm not exactly sure," Aminda answered, getting up, "looked like it was cut in the fight with Drago, perhaps some one else. I... I do know that... whoever it was, severed the tip of his pinky finger. I'm sorry Astrid, there was nothing I could do about that."

"Back in one piece," she said softly, "that was all I asked of him. Come back alive, and in one piece. And now neither of those things are true. He already lost a leg... and now he lost a finger too..."

"He could have lost his arm," Aminda said, "or his head. He's still alive, just focus on that. Ah, Chief Stoick. I was just on my way to come see you."

The man nodded curtly, glancing at Hiccup before turning to her. "How can I help you."

"Some of these people will have to be moved somewhere else," Aminda said, "the Hall is overflowing, but I don't know where..."

"Use the Jorgenson Hall," Stoick interrupted her, "they have no use for it anymore, and it still stands for the most part. Now please, tell me. How is Hiccup."

"Still critical," Aminda answered softly, but Astrid heard her anyway, "we should bring him into your house, this is too crowded here. And we have to move Wrenlou as well. We have to get them some place more private."

"I thought they couldn't be moved!" Broghan protested, having just walked up to them, "you said that it might make things worse!"

"They can't stay here either," Aminda said, gesturing around, "look at this place, Broghan. This many injured people so closely packed together screams for infections and disease. We have to get them into the Jorgenson Hall, we'll use that to isolate the critical ones. We'll take Hiccup home, that's the best."

"And what about Wren," Broghan asked, "he doesn't have a home here..."

"He does," Stoick said, "he sleeps in the extra room in my house. It's a little room, off to the side, but he's made it home. He can go there."

"No!" Broghan yelled, "you can't move him! I don't want him to be paralyzed!"

"We'll be careful," Aminda said, "with both of them. With all of them. But they cannot stay here. It's too crowded, there's too many too closely packed together. If we keep them all here more than half of them could die from infection. If we keep them here, disease will spread like wildfire. I've seen it before, I am not allowing that to happen again. Please Broghan, I know what I'm doing."

The young nodded reluctantly. Stoick gestured to Astrid while Aminda walked off to make the preparations for the move.

"Can you help me make a bed for Hiccup," Stoick asked the girl, "we'll leave him downstairs, next to the fire."

"I'll help," Astrid said softly, "I'll go by my house, to pick up some furs. That is... if it still stands."

Stoick nodded shortly and left. Astrid sighed and looked down, rubbing her tired eyes. Before she left she knelt down next to Hiccup, taking his hand in her own.

"You have to hold on, okay?" she asked, "don't get sick... please. Just hold on, and get better. You have about a month... okay? I expect you to be there when our baby is born."

She gently rested his hand on her stomach, holding it there for a while.

"The little one's been active," she whispered in his ear, "can you feel it...? that's your child Hiccup... and he needs you. So you need to live, not just for me... or for Toothless. But for your child. He deserves both his parents."

She leaned down, placing a gentle kiss on his forehead. Then she got up, walking out of the Hall with one hand still on her stomach.

0-0-0-0-0-0

When they brought Hiccup out on the gurney, Aminda carrying one side and Stoick the other, the Berkians that were able to were standing next to the path in a silent tribute. A few dragons had joined them, although most of the dragons had left with the Titan wing, and only those with riders had remained.

Astrid stopped when she saw all the people standing silently, their heads bowed. No one said a word as she walked past them, Stoick and Aminda close behind her, Hiccup between them. The sky was heavy with snow, but it wasn't falling yet, the grey clouds holding the flakes a little longer.

The walk seemed to take hours, but she breathed a sigh of relief the moment she stepped into the Haddock Hall, sitting down on one of the benches while she watched how Aminda and Stoick moved the still unconscious Hiccup onto the bed they had created next to the fire.

"You stay here," Stoick said, "we'll get Wrenlou, and then we'll move the others, for as far as we can."

She nodded a little, staring at Hiccup. The flickering of the flames cast strange shadows onto his face, almost making it appear like he was awake. She took a bowl from the table and filled it with cold water, wetting a clean cloth with it and gently placing that on his forehead to keep his temperature down.

"You'll be fine," she said with a hesitant smile, "you always are... you have to be."


	34. The Waking Hours

_Hello dudes and dudettes,_

 _First I would like to wish you all a very merry Christmas, Yule, Hanukkah, or whatever it is you celebrate this time of year. I know it has been ages since I last updated anything and I am sincerely sorry. Many of you may recall that there were some family issues going on, they still are and it's not easy to accept that things are about to change the way they are.  
Anyway, here's a new chapter for you guys, it's meant to be a little strange so lemme know if that worked. It is my Holiday gift to you guys! I am also working on the update for TAAOHAW, so keep an eye out for that and there *might* be a new story lurking around the corner, so stay tuned for that as well!_

 _As always, you are all amazing and I love you all, stay awesome and enjoy!_

* * *

 **Chapter 34. The Waking Hours**

The heavy footsteps that approached her pulled her from her thoughts, and when she looked up she found Stoick standing in front of her. The worried look had never left his face, the dark circles under his eyes reflected her own tiredness. The man stood there for a moment, silently looking down on his son, Hiccup still pale and unmoving. It had been four days, and the young man wasn't showing signs of waking up any time soon.

"Still no change..." she said softly, answering her Chief's unasked question, "his fever won't go down..."

Stoick nodded silently, taking the bowl from her and filling it with cold water. It had only been a day after the attack on Berk when his fever had started to rise, and it had been gradually building the past few days. Aminda had sworn the stabwound wasn't infected and although it looked red and swollen, she insisted that it was normal for a wound to be inflamed. It meant it was healing, she had told them, not that it was infected. Astrid didn't believe her. There had to be a reason for Hiccup's fever, the fact that he still wasn't waking up at all. Yesterday she had begged Aminda to check every scrape and cut on Hiccup's body, and the healer had done so, finding no signs of any infection at all.

"We need Wrenlou..." she said, looking down.

"Wrenlou can't help us right now," Stoick said, and she could hear the regret in his voice.

"Is he doing any better?" she asked, hoping with every fiber in her being that the young man would walk out of his room smiling and telling them he was okay.

"I don't believe so, no," Stoick said as he sat the bowl down next to her, "Broghan is still with him."

Astrid looked down, gently stroking Hiccup's hair, twisting it around her fingers. She made a small braid in the mess of auburn, making another, and another, until there were at least five small braids strewn throughout Hiccup's hair.

"I hope he wakes up soon..." she said softly, "or this baby will be born without him, and I don't want that to happen."

0-0-0-0-0

He felt like he was floating in a peaceful ocean, surrounded by warmth and a sensation of deep relaxation. It was quiet, and then he opened his eyes all he could see was white. It was a gentle white, serene and calm. It confused him, it seemed otherworldly, almost impossibly white all around him, as far as he could see. He was alone on the floor that seemed warm, but cold at the same time. His flying suit was gone, as was his prosthetic, and all he was wearing was a white tunic and a white pair of pants. The whole thing was unsettling and calming at the same time, and a faint sense of what was going on started dawning on him.

"Hello?" he called out, "anyone there? Where am I? What happened? Hello?"

No answer came, the sound of his voice disappearing into the void around him. He started to panic a little as he frantically looked around, still sat on the ground.

"Quite the predicament you got yourself into there, don't you think?"

The voice startled him and when he looked up he saw Snotlout sitting across from him, a small smile on his face.

"Snotlout!" he gasped, relieved to see his cousin, "what happened? What is this place? Am I... dead...? Are you dead?"

His cousin shrugged, almost nonchalant about the whole thing. "Dead... what is death but a new beginning?"

"So... I did die?" Hiccup asked hesitantly, "is this... Valhalla..?"

"You haven't died," Snotlout said, moving closer so that he was sitting next to him, "not yet anyway. This here, this is the place between life and death. You still have a choice."

"I get it..." Hiccup mumbled, "this isn't real. It's just in my head. I'm... in my bed and I can wake up when I want..."

"Of course it's in your head," Snotlout said with a chuckle, "but does that make it any less real? If it just being in your head meant it wouldn't be real, your memories wouldn't be real, your thoughts, ideas, everything that makes you who you are would be just as much of a lie."

"But... why... what happened?" he asked again and he looked at his cousin, "did you die? Is that why you're here too?"

"I'm here because your subconscious wanted me here," Snotlout simply said, "you must understand that you have a choice. You can either move forward and die, or go back, survive and live to see your child grow up."

Hiccup looked down, trying to wrap his head around what he heard. "I just... don't understand..." he mumbled, but when he looked up he was alone again. Snotlout was gone, disappeared without a trace, and once again he was alone in the massive white expanse. He called out, but no matter how hard he shouted, no one came.

He panicked, screaming at the emptiness all around him. Snotlout's short appearance hadn't helped him at all. He wasn't dead but he wasn't alive either. He could still go back but he didn't know how. He felt trapped, unable to move either forward or backward, and he suddenly couldn't stop crying. He pulled his legs up to his chest, wrapped his arms around them and just let the tears go.

It seemed like he was alone for ages, lost in his own thoughts and fears, the worry and doubt twisting his heart. He had given up on anyone coming when he felt a hand on his shoulder. When he looked up he saw Wrenlou standing next to him, smiling gently.

"It's not all lost," he said, holding his hand out, "you're not as trapped as you think you are. Come, let me show you."

"Wren..." he asked, "did you... die too?"

His brother laughed and grabbed his hand to pull him to his feet. "Has Snotlout told you nothing? This is all in your mind Hiccup. You are the master of this. All this... nothingness, it's simply here because that's all you can see, all you can feel. You're not trapped here, not like you think."

"What are you talking about!" Hiccup shouted, "I'm... I'm dying! This is... it isn't real!"

"Then why are you so scared of it?" Wrenlou asked, "you can do anything, go anywhere. If this is just a dream, why not walk, run, fly!"

"Because I don't have..." Hiccup started, but as he looked down he suddenly realized he did have both his feet.

The ground had turned green, blades of grass tickling the soles of his feet and when he looked up he was in a garden. To his right there was a cottage, smoke coming from the chimney. The red roof of the small house almost shone in the warm sun, and the sound of water drew his attention to a stream nearby. The garden was green, a mass of brightly coloured flowers dancing gently on a soft breeze, and the blue skies above him were very much like the skies back on Nightfury Island.

"Wren?" he asked, not seeing his brother anymore, "are you still here?"

"I'm here as long as you want me to be," the answer came, "come on Hiccup, come meet your child."

"My... child..." Hiccup asked, stunned and he walked towards the house. As he came closer he could hear singing, a clear woman's voice.

"Astrid...?" he asked and he pushed the door open. It didn't feel like a dream. It had to be real. What else could it be?

Astrid was in the room, her back towards him. Her golden hair was released from its confining braids and flowing down her back. She was singing softly, rocking a small child in her arms, a boy of about a year old. The child was crying, seemingly inconsolable.

"Come here," she said as she handed him the child, "he wants his daddy. I don't know what you do, but you always calm him down."

He was too stunned to protest, looking down at the sniffling boy in his arms. He had his mother's beautiful golden hair, but his emerald green eyes, still shining with tears.

"My son..." he whispered, "I have a son."

For a while he was lost in the idea of being a father, that the child in his arms was actually his, but just as he started to accept this new reality the image changed again. The child was older, maybe five or six, running around the peaceful garden as his mother was hanging the laundry. He stood in the doorway, looking on at the scene when he realized that he hadn't seen Toothless yet.

Just as the thought crossed his mind there was a croon from his left, and when he looked over he saw his dragon, his friend, lounging in the sun. He appeared bigger, older, but it was still Toothless as he had always known him.

"I... I don't understand..." he whispered, "none of this is real... but it feels so... right..."

"It's your subconscious mind telling you what you would be missing if you died," Wrenlou said sitting next to him, "do you really want your child to grow up without a father?"

Hiccup shook his head. "No... I'd hate that," he said quietly, "I don't want him to go through what I did when my mom was taken."

"Then hold on to that feeling, and you'll find your way back," Wrenlou said, "think about your future, what you'd be giving up on. Think about Astrid, Toothless, your father. They all love you, they all worry about you. I worry about you."

"I just don't know what to do," Hiccup said, plucking at the grass beneath him, pulling it out of the ground and ripping it to shreds, "this feels so nice... and going back, it will hurt, won't it? I was injured that's why I'm here."

"Of course it will hurt..." Wrenlou said softly, "but that pain will fade. The wounds will heal and you'll be back on your feet in no time. You know you will. But if you die, the wound your absence causes will be much harder to treat. That's a pain that will never really go away. We would always carry it with us, it would become part of us, yes, but it won't ever go away. Not really. Not completely."

Hiccup looked down, not knowing what to say. He knew Wrenlou was right. He was familiar with the pain losing a loved one caused. He had experienced it when his mother was taken. He had been young, barely a year old at the time, but he had always had a sense of loss, longing even as he grew up. Even as a child he had known he was supposed to have a mother but never had one, and his father would never answer any questions he asked about her. He didn't want his own son to go through the same thing, even if he knew Astrid would make sure their child would know everything there was to know about it's father.

"What do I do..." he mumbled, more to himself than anyone else.

"You go back, and you live."

The voice was an unfamiliar one, and it startled him. When he looked up he saw a lanky boy of about fifteen. His blonde hair was tied back, his green eyes sparkling and before he could fully comprehend what was going on, the boy had sat down next to him.

"What... who are you...?" he asked, confused though the back of his mind already knew.

"I'm your son of course!" the boy laughed, and Hiccup was struck with how much the young man resembled him at the same age, "have you forgotten me already father?"

"No..." he shook his head furiously, "no of course not!"

"Look... I know it may be a hard thing to decide, but I need you," the boy said, "mother needs you. So does grandpa. So please, please come back to us."

"This isn't real..." he mumbled, suddenly overwhelmed by the idea that his son could be here, as a teenager, when he hadn't even been born yet. How could he know he would have a son, why not a daughter?

"It's real enough," a feminine voice next to him spoke, and when he looked he could see that the young man had turned into a young woman, the daughter he could also have.

"I don't know what to do," he said, "how do I go back. This place is so... endless..."

"Only because that's how you wanted it to be," the girl said, "the way out has always been there, you just haven't seen it. You need to open your eyes and see what's in front of you, really look. Then you'll know how to go home, to us. To all of us."

As he looked up he could see every single one of his friends. Wrenlou was there, as well as Broghan and the others. Astrid, his cousin, even the twins and Fishlegs. To the left he saw the dragons, Toothless and Snowflake. There was a faint shape behind them, and he quickly realised it was the Titan Wing that had saved them, Rocky. His father was next to him and at his side was the smoke like figure of a woman. He had no clear image of his mother, not a clue as to what she looked like, but the figure at his side felt warm and comforting. It was the same feeling he had gotten every time he had gone to Wrenlou's house, and met his mother.

"No matter how hard it gets, we'll be here with you," Broghan said, stepping forward, "we're always here with you."

Hiccup could only smile as he looked around the group. Many familiar faces, some only a shred of a memory at the far reaches of his mind but he could remember them all. He got up, setting his jaw.

"I can do this," he said, determined now, "I can make it back. If I have to crawl on my knees, I will not stop. Now show me the way!"

He closed his eyes for a moment and when he opened them again everything that had been there was gone. The people, the house and it's garden, even the flowing grass fields. He was in a desert, white sand all around him and from his feet onward there was a road, waving over the dunes, twisting and turning into the distance. After a deep breath he took the first step, setting his foot on the road. Then he took another step, and another, and another until he was almost running.

"I'm coming Astrid!" he screamed as he ran along the road, "I'm coming home!"


	35. I have not forgotten

Hello my darling readers,

Alas, no story update for you yet, I am so sorry it has been taking me so long to write it, but here's a quick life update, because so much has happened. Since the start of this yearI was offered a new job (and I took it), which has been keeping me crazy busy all hours of the day, I lost my grandfather, he died March 1st, I had a friend from America come over in April, been to a fantasy festival as a volunteer with her, had my birthday (first without my granddad, so both happy and sad), been to America myself just a few weeks ago, and I ripped my fingernail in half just yesterday. (Completely irrelevant, but makes typing a pain...).

Also, the new HTTYD movie. Tell me I'm not dreaming I can't quite believe it yet. There will be a white, female Night Fury. My little Snowflake will no longer be just fiction, she'll be a fact. She's in the movie. She's gonna be... IN the movie. (Now I know it's not exactly Snow... but still!) A friend of mine suggested she should be named Windwalker, as a nod to the books and honestly that would be the best... But I guess we'll find out next year. I am bot excited and scared to see this movie, because what if it sucks... you know? (movie rant is over now...)

I promise I have not forgotten you, or the story. I have been working on it but with barely time to write, (also no inspiration so that doesn't help), it's just been going so slow. I have the whole ending worked out, even mostly written out, but there's a part in between there that's been giving me trouble. I'm also working on a new story (no, I won't tell), but if there are any artsy inclined people out there willing to help me make a cover for it, let me know! I'd love to work with you all to make it as fab as possible.

So there you have it. A quick update of what has been keeping the update from happening. It will come, I promise, I hope it will be soon. I just need to jumpstart my brain, get the inspiration flowing and it'll be over before you can utter a peep.

I thank you all for your patience and continued support, I'd love to hear how your time has been spent (hopefully not pining away in front of the computer waiting for an update cuz if that's what you did, I'm so sorry I made you wait so long...), and I hope with all my heart that I will be able to update soon. At least before this month is over should be doable, right?

Lots of love, many hugs to all of you,

Your everlasting procrastinating writer,

Aurora


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